SUBDUED 
SOUTHERN 
NOBILITY. 


SUBDUED 


SOUTHERN  NOBILITY : 


A  SOUTHERN  IDEAL. 


BY   ONE   OF   THE   NOBILITY 


NEW    VORK : 
SHARPS   PUBLISHING    COMPANY. 


Entered  acoordiTi?  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1833,  by 

suAKi-d  PUBLISHING  COMPANY, 
in  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington. 


PREFACE. 


THE  publishers  have  requested  me  to  write  a  pre 
face  to  this  little  volume,  and  that,  too,  without 
assigning  any  valid  reasons  for  so  doing.  I  must 
confess  I  see  no  necessity  for  one  myself,  only  it  may 
be  well  to  ask  my  readers  to  be  charitable  in  their 
criticisms. 

The  ideal  to  which  I  ask  the  reader's  attention  be 
gins  before  the  recent  unpleasantness  between  the 
North  and  South,  continues  during  that  gigantic 
struggle  for  national  existence,  and  ends  before  a  final 
reconstruction  takes  place.  My  readers  are,  there- 
;ore,  brought  face  to  face  with  some  suppressed 
historic  facts  that  will  be  found  interesting  in  con- 
aection  with  the  characters  introduced. 

It  has  been  my  object  from  beginning  to  end  to 
give  facts  rather  than  overdrawn  fancies,  and  if  I 
have  failed  to  make  the  book  as  interesting  as  my 
readers  may  have  expected,  they  have  the  assurance 
of  having  received  "more  truth  than  poetry"  for 
their  money. 

THE  AUTHOR. 


207^380 


SUBDUED  SOUTHERN  NOBILITY. 


CHAPTER    I. 

IDLEFIELD. 

THIS  was  an  extremely  large  cotton  plantation, 
located  in  Northern  Mississippi,  and  the  situation 
was  all  that  could  be  desired  in  regard  to  scenery, 
soil  and  climate,  as  well  as  position  in  a  commercial 
point  of  view.  Broad  fields  of  cotton  spread  in  every 
direction,  fringed  on  one  side  by  a  bit  of  woodland. 
To  the  north  a  hill  arose  in  a  gradual  slope,  being  cul 
tivated  nearly  to  its  summit.  Southward  spread  a 
wide,  slightly  undulating  plain,  and  toward  the  west 
ilowed  a  winding  river,  one  of  the  tributaries  of  the 
Mississippi.  It  was  only  slightly  removed  from  the 
line  of  the  railroad  leading  to  New  Orleans,  and  there 
fore  there  was  no  lack  of  means  by  which  to  transport 
cotton  to  the  greatest  of  Southern  marts  ;  and  as 
there  was  always  a  large  quantity  to  be  conveyed 
thither,  it  may  readily  be  imagined  there  was  great 
wealth  at  Idlefield. 

Considering  this  wealth  and  the  extent  of  the  plan 
tation,  the  house  was  quite  unpretentious  in  appear 
ance.  It  covered  much  ground,  but  was  only  a  story 
and  a  half  high.  The  rooms  were  large,  and,  especi 
ally  during  the  summer,  only  those  upon  the  ground 
floor  were  occupied,  for  the  great  heat  of  the  upper 
chambers,  partially  caused  by  the  low  walls,  which 
were  ceiled  with  boards  instead  of  plaster,  rendered 
them  almost  uninhabitable,  except  by  one  or  two  of 
the  house  servants,  whose  comfort  was  not  a  matter 
of  serious  consideration. 


2  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

To  the  left  of  the  house  was  the  parlor,  which  was 
of  immense  size,  with  several  windows  and  doors 
opening  upon  the  veranda,  which  encircled  it  on 
three  sides.  The  floor  was  covered  with  matting, 
over  which  numerous  rugs  were  thrown,  of  various 
shapes,  sizes  and  colors.  Only  the  centre  one  was  of 
any  value  ;  it  was  Turkish,  and  originally  of  softly- 
blended  hues,  though  now  they  were  dingy  from  dust. 
The  furniture  was  irregular,  consisting  of  cane-seat 
and  willow  or  bamboo  chairs  and  rockers,  with  here 
and  there  a  heavy  lounge  or  table  of  mahogany,  the 
shape  even  then  old  for  fashion,  yet  almost  too  new  to 
merit  the  magic  word  antique,  though  belonging  to  a 
class  of  furniture  which  will  in  all  probability  be  in 
demand,  on  account  of  scarcity,  a  few  years  hence. 

The  room  was  hung  with  an  engraving  or  two,  and 
several  colored  prints  and  lithographs,  whose  chief 
merit  consisted  in  taking  away  a  certain  bareness 
from  the  glaring  white-washed  walls.  There  were 
also  two  or  three  good  paintings,  which  had  been 
picked  up  in  New  Orleans.  This  room  took  up  all 
the  space  at  the  left  of  the  great  hall,  which  ran 
through  the  house  from  front  to  rear,  and  was  large 
enough  for  a  good-sized  dwelling  in  itself.  It  was 
covered  with  matting,  and  was  usually  strewn  with 
cool  chairs,  broad-brimmed  straw  hats  and  palm-leaf 
t';ms. 

At  the  right  of  the  hall,  in  front,  was,  what  may 
seem  strange  to  Northern  readers,  a  large  bed 
chamber.  This  floor  was  carpeted,  and  the  chief 
article  of  furniture  it  contained  was  a  heavy  old  bed 
stead  of  mahogany,  with  four  huge  round  posts  like 
tree-trunks,  but  smooth  and  shining.  They  were 
topped  by  an  immense  tester,  from  which  hung 
mosquito  curtains,  which  were  certainly  entitled  to  the 
name,  not  because  they  furnished  the  slightest  protec 
tion  from  insects  of  any  sort,  but  from  the  fact  that 
they  formed  a  hafbor  or  city  of  refuge  for  mosquitoes, 
where  they  might  prey  in  safety  by  night  and  sleep 
with  equal  security  by  day,  the  rents  in  the  curtains 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  3 

affording  both  ingress  and  egress  whenever  desired. 
This  chamber  had  belonged  to  the  mistress  of  the 
house  during  her  lifetime,  and  was  also  used  as  a  sort 
of  family  sitting-room.  Back  of  it  was  the  dining- 
room,  and  to  the  right  a  wide  wing  containing  two 
more  sleeping  apartments,  which  had  been  used  as 
nursery  and  children's  rooms  years  before,  when  the 
house  was  enlivened  by  childish  voices,  mingled  with 
snatches  of  song  from  their  negro  nurses — low,  tink 
ling,  harmonious  melodies  which  never  failed  to  soothe 
the  infant  listeners  into  slumber. 

Now,  however,  there  was  little  in  the  way  of  sound 
to  give  life  to  Idlefield,  except  the  laughter  and  chatter 
of  the  negro  children,  who  frolicked  about  the  lawn  and 
rolled  over  the  floor  in  the  hall,  for  the  cotton  was 
ripe  and  the  negro  cabins  nearly  deserted  during  the 
day.  Idlefield  was  not  what  it  had  once  been,  they 
were  wont  to  say,  in  regard  to  cheerfulness,  though 
even  yet,  in  the  early  night-time,  and  especially  when 
the  work  was  not  so  hard  as  to  grind  out  the  soul  of 
cheerfulness  which  usually  inhabits  the  negro  breast, 
there  were  songs,  laughter,  and  dancing  to  the  music 
of  the  violin,  which,  if  not  correctly,  was  certainly 
played  with  melodious  effect. 

Colonel  Gonzales,  as  his  name  indicated,  was  of 
Spanish,  or,  more  properly,  of  Cuban  extraction, 
though  born  at  Idlefield.  Passionate  and  indolent 
by  nature,  yet  possessing  a  by  no  means  bad  heart, 
he  was  at  times  peevishly  exacting,  and  at  others 
lazily  lenient,  sometimes  severe,  and  again  almost 
kind,  as  his  temper  rose  or  fell.  Upon  the  whole  he 
was  not  considered  a  bad  master,  as  masters  went  in 
those  days,  though  he  made  it  a  rule  to  employ  over 
seers  who  would  get  the  greatest  amount  of  work 
from  his  slaves  without  crippling  or  materially  injur 
ing  them.  Idlefield  had  been  bequeathed  him  by  his 
father,  together  with  a  large  number  of  slaves  and  a 
goodly  sum  of  money,  and,  lacking  any  extravagant 
vices,  he  had  added  to  his  estate  year  after  year.  His 
wife  was  gentle  and  kind-hearted,  but  had  not  enough 


4  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

energy  to  accomplish  much  besides  dozing  and  reading. 
Many  a  chastisement  she  saved  her  slaves,  however, 
not  because  her  sympathy  was  especially  enlisted  in 
their  behalf,  but  chiefly  because  she  could  not  bear  any 
undue  commotion,  and  as  her  husband  was  devoted 
to  her,  as  a  rule  her  wishes  carried  the  day.  To  the 
colonel's  great  disappointment  his  elder  children 
were  all  girls,  and  he  longed  for  a  son.  Mrs.  Gon- 
zales  was  satisfied  with  daughters ;  boys  made  so 
much  noise,  she  was  wont  to  say,  and  she  dreaded 
noise.  She  paid  little  attention  to  her  children,  and 
performed  none  of  the  duties  which  fell  to  the  lot  of 
most  planters'  wives  ;  and  so  a  sort  of  overseer  was 
obtained  to  weigh  out  the  corn-meal  and  bacon  for 
the  negroes,  and  to  also  superintend  the  cutting  out 
and  making  of  their  simple  garments. 

At  length,  when  his  older  daughters  were  upon  the 
eve  of  marriage,  and  his  youngest  one  was  ten  years 
old,  a  son  was  born — a  lively,  handsome  boy — and 
straightway  the  household  fell  into  the  habit  of  trying 
to  excel  each  other  in  their  endeavors  to  spoil  him, 
Mrs.  Gonzales  rousing  herself  sufficiently  to  join  them 
in  the  attempt. 


CHAPTER    II. 

THE    SIAMESE. 

Richard  Gonzales,  the  heir  of  Idlefield,  grew  up  self 
ish  and  arrogant,  accustomed  to  consider  at  all  times 
his  will  as  absolute  law.  His  sisters  were  wedded 
one  by  one,  each  receiving  a  handsome  marriage  por 
tion  from  her  father,  which  was  settled  by  due  course 
of  law  upon  herself,  to  guard  from  poverty  in  later 
years.  From  the  time  Rick  was  a  year  old  the  colonel 
had  his  will  made,  in  which  he  bequeathed  Idlefield 
and  numerous  other  possessions  to  his  idolized  son. 
When  the  boy  was  fifteen  his  mother  died,  and  after 
this  Rick  grew  restless,  seeming  to  long  for  change. 
And,  though  it  was  a  great  sacrifice  for  the  colonel  to 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  5 

make,  he  conceived  the  idea  of  sending  him  to  a 
Northern  college,  instead  of  employing  tutors,  as  he 
had  formerly  done.  Rick  had  no  love  for  the  Yankees, 
he  was  fond  of  saying,  but  he  wished  to  see  a  little  of 
the  world.  Besides,  since  his  mother's  death  the  place 
was  intolerably  lonely,  for  his  sisters  were  now  all 
married  and  living  some  distance  away. 

After  Rick  went  to  college  the  health  of  the  colonel 
gradually  failed.  He  drooped  the  whole  year  through, 
only  rallying  when  his  boy  came  home  for  vacation. 
These  were  golden  days  for  the  lonely  old  man,  who 
brightened  so  much  Rick  never  guessed  how  ill  he 
really  was.  He  was  never  weary  of  listening  to  his 
son's  account  of  his  triumphs  at  college,  and  the 
honors  he  carried  off,  which  Rick  magnified,  more  for 
the  sake  of  giving  his  father  pleasure  than  for  his  own 
glorification. 

Like  most  Southerners  Rick's  political  sentiments 
were  of  the  fire-eating  order.  It  was  during  the 
administration  of  Pierce,  and  slavery  had  become 
the  political  issue  of  the  day  The  Whig  party  in 
the  North  was  Anti-slavery  almost  to  a  man,  and,  with 
all  philanthropists,  opposed  the  Fugitive  Slave  Law  ; 
indeed,  the  deplorable  state  of  the  slaves,  and  the 
many  crying  evils  resulting  from  slavery,  were  so  pain 
fully  apparent,  only  those  who  had  a  personal  interest 
in  this  flesh  and  blood  traffic,  and  others  who  had 
some  point  to  gain  by  upholding  them,  could  be  found 
to  speak  in  praise  of  the  institution.  This  feeling 
among  Whigs  at  the  North  was  resented  by  the  party 
in  the  South,  who  at  once  changed  views  and  went 
over  to  the  Democratic  side.  At  the  North  there  were 
many  Democrats  ready  to  join  the  ranks  in  a  crusade 
against  slavery,  only  for  dislike  of  the  old  Whig 
name.  It  was  for  this  reason  the  Republican  party 
was  formed,  and  the  feeling  between  it  and  the  slave 
holders  was  bitter  in  the  extreme.  The  South  affected — 
and  honestly — a  greater  hatred  of  the  North  than  ever 
before.  As  yet,  there  was  little  hope  for  the  success  of  the 
Anti-slavery  party.  The  Know-Nothing  party  spring- 


6  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

ing  up  about  this  time  also  thinned  their  ranks,  and, 
as  may  be  supposed,  party  spirit  ran  high.  It  was 
all  a  Northern  man's  life  was  worth  to  go  down 
South,  except  he  strongly  endorsed  slavery,  and  even 
then  he  was  looked  upon  by  nearly  every  one  as 
a  spy. 

During  this  time,  however,  the  Northern  colleges 
were  half  filled  with  Southern  students.  The  profes 
sors  and  tutors,  anxious  to  avoid  all  strife,  anxious 
above  all  that  the  schools  should  prosper,  tried  at 
first  to  maintain  a  strict  neutrality,  as  far  as  politics 
were  concerned.  But  this  state  of  affairs  failed  to 
satisfy  the  stormy  Southern  students,  who  must  be 
allowed  to  air  their  opinions  at  all  times  and  in  all 
places,  at  whatever  cost.  The  Northern  boys  were 
likely  to  attend  college  in  any  case,  and  the  South 
erners  must  not  be  driven  away  So  all  the  professors 
who  could,  conscientiously  or  otherwise,  favor  South 
ern  sentiments  did  so.  As  a  natural  consequence, 
the  Southern  portion  of  the  students  soon  ruled,  to  a 
great  extent,  a  majority  of  the  Northern  colleges  : 
there  were  few  exceptions  among  those  where  their 
patronage  was  of  importance.  Nearly  all  the  Southern 
boys  were  the  children  of  wealthy  parents,  and  they 
were  furnished  with  an  almost  exhaustless  supply  of 
spending  money,  which  they  scattered  with  lavish 
hand. 

Rick  belonged  to  this  class.  He  affiliated  with  few 
except  his  Southern  classmates,  and  held  himself 
loftily  aloof  from  the  Northern  students,  treating 
even  those  who  professed  to  sympathize  with  him  in 
sentiment  in  a  condescending  manner.  He  held,  in 
common  with  all  other  young  Southerners,  to  a  sort  of 
tradition  that  the  Southern  portion  of  the  students 
belonged  to  the  nobility,  and  those  of  the  North,  on 
the  contrary,  were  of  plebeian  origin.  Wherein  the 
nobility  consisted  he  might  possibly  have  been  unable 
to  explain  in  a  satisfactory  manner,  but  it  existed  in 
his  own  mind.  He  was  more  popular  than  could 
have  been  expected,  partly  because  he  had  some 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  7 

noble  qualities,  but  chiefly  on  account  of  his  bestow 
ing  costly  favors  upon  all  who  chose  to  follow  in  his 
lead — so  he  had  no  lack  of  satellites. 

Alfred  Hastings,  a  Virginian  who  had  entered  col 
lege  a  year  previous  to  Rick,  and  who  was  two  years 
his  senior  in  age,  was  Rick's  especial  friend.  Alfred 
was  less  outspoken  than  Rick,  and  had  a  smooth, 
plausible  manner.  He  spent  little  money  for  a 
Southerner,  but  after  Rick's  advent  this  was  scarcely 
remarked,  for  the  two  were  always  together.  They 
were  dubbed  "The  Siamese,"  "  Damon  and  Pythias," 
and  other  names  suggestive  of  brotherly  regard.  In  a 
confidential  manner,  one  day,  Alfred  told  his  friend 
that,  though  he  belonged  to  one  of  the  oldest  families 
in  Virginia,  his  father's  estate  was  heavily  cumbered 
with  debt,  and  he  had  no  lack  of  funds  thereafter. 
His  story  was  quite  true,  yet  he  would  never  have 
confided  the  fact  to  Rick  except  for  the  purpose  of 
receiving  his  aid.  The  warm  intimacy  which  con 
tinued  between  them  from  year  to  year  was  honest 
upon  Rick's  part,  but  partially  feigned  by  Alfred, 
who,  while  he  took  pains  to  be  considered  the  soul  of 
honor,  was  given  to  deceitful  practices  whenever  he 
felt  confident  of  escaping  discovery.  Rick  feared  no 
one.  He  stood  high  in  his  class  without  being  obliged 
to  exert  himself,  while  Alfred,  with  twice  the  amount 
of  study,  barely  held  a  much  lower  place.  Rick  had 
everything  he  desired  which  money  could  buy,  and, 
possibly  because  there  was  never  any  occasion  for 
doing  so,  he  would  not  stoop  to  deceit. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  last  year  Alfred  went  to 
New  York  to  spend  the  last  days  of  his  vacation,  and 
while  there  he  renewed  the  acquaintance  of  a  distant 
cousin — Rose  Halbert — who  was  orphaned, and  resided 
with  an  aunt ;  this  aunt,  however,  was  not  Alfred's 
relative,  Rose  being  her  brother's  child.  Rose  was 
seventeen,  still  attending  school,  and  had  not,  as  yet, 
made  her  debut  in  society.  Still  she  was  very  sensible, 
and  allowed  many  privileges  by  her  indulgent  aunt. 
She  was  a  sprightly,  original  girl,  with  an  exceedingly 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

charming  manner,  and  better  than  all — or  at  least  so 
Alfred  thought — she  had  a  very  comfortable  sum  of 
money  in  her  own  right.  At  first,  after  going  on  to 
college,  Alfred  did  not  speak  to  Rick  concerning 
Rose,  but  as  the  time  wore  on  and  the  holiday  week 
approached  he  became  more  and  more  anxious  to 
spend  it  in  New  York,  and  yet  his  lack  of  funds 
rendered  it  impossible.  If  he  had  confided  in  Rick 
from  the  beginning,  telling  him  he  was  in  love  with 
Rose,  the  money  would  have  been  forthcoming  for  his 
journey  at  once,  and  this  book  would  never  have  been 
written.  But  he  did  not.  He  was  anxious  to  obtain 
the  wherewithal  and  yet  make  it  seem  as  though  con 
ferring  a  favor  upon  Rick  at  the  same  time.  He 
thought  the  matter  over,  counting  well  the  cost  and 
the  risk  he  was  running,  and  then  he  decided  upon 
his  course 

"  Rick,"  he  said  carelessly,  "  how  are  you  going  to 
spend  your  holiday  vacation  ?" 

"  I  have  been  pretty  busy,"  Rick  replied,  "  and 
have  thought  little  about  it.  but  I  really  think  I'd  like 
to  go  off  on  a  sort  of  a  lark  What  say  you  ?" 

"  I  have  but  one  objection  and  that  is  my  everlast 
ing,  infernal,  threadoare  excuse — lack  of  funds." 

"  There  don't  be  a  fool,  Alfred,  you  know  that  is 
no  reason  at  all." 

"Well  then,  to  tell  the  truth,  I'd  like  you  to  go 
with  me  to  New  York.  I  have  a  kind  of  fiftieth  cousin 
there  We  were  like  brother  and  sister  when  we  were 
children  but  a  sort  of  coolr.ess  sprang  up  after  her 
father  and  mother  died  and  I  had  not  seen  her  for  a 
long  time  until  last  vacation  She's  a  jolly  girl,  and 
her  only  faul*"  is  that  she  is  a  little  given  to  Northern 
sentiments  upon  the  slavery  question.  But  h^r  heart 
is  all  righf.;  its  natural,  you  know,  hearing  nothing  else 
from  her  infancy,  she  should  lean  a  trifle  in  that  direc 
tion.  You  see  her  grandmother  was  a  Virginian  born, 
and  that  makes  all  the  difference  in  the  world." 

"  Are  you  hard  hit,  Alfred  ?" 

"No,  indeed;  would  as  soon  think  of  marrying  a 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  9 

sister.  To  tell  the  truth  I  had  a  sort  of  hope  that 
you  might  take  a  fancy  to  her  and  so  become  my 
cousin  at  some  period  in  the  near  future." 

"  Very  kind  of  you,  I  am  sure,  but,  really,  I  have  no 
intention  of  taking  an  abolitionist  for  a  wife." 

"  Well,  of  course  you  will  please  yourself  about 
that,  and  about  going  to  New  York  too.  But  Rose  is 
not  like  the  majority  of  Northern  girls."  (He  meant 
this  for  a  great  compliment.) 

Rick,  judging  Northern  girls  by  the  rather  bold- 
appearing  ones  which  always  frequent  college  towns, 
took  it  in  the  light  of  a  compliment,  too. 

"  I  was  thinking  of  going  to  New  York  in  any 
case,"  he  said,  "though  I  have  formed  no  plans  what 
ever,  having  been  too  much  occupied  to  do  so.  When 
the  time  comes  we  will  pack  our  things  and  be  off, 
and  if  we  find  your  cousin  as  pleasant  as  you  fancy, 
we  will  see  her  often  ;  otherwise,  we  will  keep  to 
ourselves.  But  no  attempts  at  match-making,  Alfred, 
and,  upon  the  whole,  I  prefer  you  would  not  represent 
me  as  being  unusually  wealthy." 

"Don't  be  afraid,"  laughed  Alfred,  "Rose  will  not 
marry  you  whether  or  no,  for  I  think  she  has  no  lack 
of  suitors.  She  is  an  heiress  in  a  small  way,  and, 
though  not  out  in  society,  is  already  the  recipient  of 
more  than  one  eligible  offer,  as  her  aunt  informed  me." 

"I  am  not  afraid,  my  friend.  As  Miss  Halbert  is 
your  cousin,  I  know  she  is  a  lady,  and  I  dare  say  I 
shall  admire  her,  unless  she  is  Yankeeish  in  appear 
ance  and  manner  ;  if  so,  I  warn  you  I  shall  spend 
little  time  in  her  society. 


CHAPTER  III. 

ROSE. 

She  lived  in  a  street  which  had  just  been  built  up 
in  solid  brown-stone  blocks,  and  at  that  time  it  was 
considered  quite  far  up  town,  though  now  the  location 
is  the  reverse.  Her  uncle  was  a  solid  merchant,  with 


10  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

a  married  daughter  who  resided  in  Europe,  and  two 
sons — one  already  settled  and  in  business  with  his 
father,  the  younger  one,  only  sixteen,  at  school. 
So  Rose  was  the  life  of  the  house,  and  since  she 
showed  unusual  wisdom  for  her  years  she  followed 
to  a  great  extent  the  bent  of  her  own  sweet  will. 
She  was  making  grand  preparations  for  the  holidays, 
and  when  she  received  a  note  from  Alfred  saying  he 
was  coming  to  the  city  for  the  vacation,  with  a  friend, 
Rose  answered  at  once,  at  her  aunt's  suggestion,  invit 
ing  both  to  the  house.  Alfred,  after  again  calculating 
the  risks,  strongly  urged  an  acceptance,  but  Rick  de 
murred,  preferring  to  stop  at  a  hotel  at  first,  and  then, 
if  hospitably  urged,  to  accept  the  invitation.  Alfred 
decided  to  go  to  the  house  at  once.  He  did  so,  and, 
calling  upon  Rick  at  his  hotel  a  few  hours  later, 
brought  him  an  invitation  to  dinner  that  evening, 
which  he  accepted. 

Rose  was  looking  from  her  window  when  the  car 
riage  containing  the  two  young  gentlemen  stopped  at 
the  door.  Rick  was  tall,  dark  and  distinguished- 
looking;  he  already  sported  a  slight  moustache,  which 
college  students,  whenever  possible,  were  just  begin 
ning  to  affect.  He  wore  a  fur-lined  and  trimmed 
overcoat,  and  a  sombrero  hat,  which  was  exceedingly 
becoming  to  his  style  of  face.  He'  sat  quietly  within 
the  carriage  until  Alfred  alighted,  then  he  sprang  out 
with  an  easy,  yet  dashing  grace,  and  tossed  the  driver 
a  gold  coin.  Then  she  looked  no  more,  but  turned 
to  the  mirror  to  give  the  last  touches  to  her  toilet 
before  going  down.  Her  aunt,  Mrs.  Beale,  was 
already  in  the  drawing-room  in  conversation  with  the 
two  young  men  when  Rose  entered,  and  did  not  per 
ceive  her  niece  until  she  saw  Rick  rise.  Then  she 
introduced  them,  and  he  saw  a  young  girl,  rather 
slender  as  yet,  but  well-formed  and  graceful,  with  a 
fair  complexion,  hazel-brown  eyes  and  bronze-brown 
hair. 

Rick  was  always  impressed  by  outward  appearances 
and  surroundings.  In  all  his  life  before,  notwith- 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  II 

standing  his  wealth,  he  had  never  entered  a  private 
dwelling  where  the  appointments  were  so  artistic  and 
truly  elegant.  Mrs.  Beale  had  a  most  stately  bearing 
and  address,  and  as  for  Rose,  though  he  might  have 
seen  more  beautiful  girls,  he  acknowledged  to  himself 
that  he  had  never  met  any  one  so  perfectly  graceful. 

"  Her  form  is  good,"  was  his  mental  comment,  as 
she  sat  down  quietly  and  joined  in  the  conversation  ; 
"  her  face  is  sweet,  particularly  her  mouth  and  smile. 
But  when  you  come  to  her  head,  how  it  is  set  upon 
her  shoulders,  though  !  The  shape  and  poise  are 
simply  perfect.  And  I  hinted  she  might  take  it  into 
that  pretty  head  to  fancy  me  for  a  husband.  What  a 
fool  I  was  !  And  what  must  Alfred  think  of  me  ?" 

For  the  first  time  in  his  whole  life  he  felt  a  sense  of 
humility  creep  over  him.  He  wondered  at  himself  a 
trifle — wondered  he  could  feel  so  without  being  angry, 
for,  under  the  circumstances,  the  sensation  was  pleas 
urable  rather  than  annoying.  And  then  Mr.  Beale 
and  his  son  Charles  came  home,  and,  soon  after,  din 
ner  was  announced.  Again  he  was  agreeably  sur 
prised,  this  time  that  the  meal  was  so  perfect  in  every 
minute  particular.  The  table-linen  was  spotless,  the 
china  and  glass  were  all  that  could  be  asked — the  first 
rare  in  design,  the  latter  like  crystal.  The  silver  was 
massive,  the  edibles  deliciously  cooked  and  admirably 
served,  and,  best  of  all,  Rose  was  by  his  side.  There 
were  but  six  at  the  table — Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beale  sitting 
at  the  opposite  ends,  with  Rick  at  his  host's  right  and 
Rose  between  him  and  Mrs.  Beale.  Opposite  Rose 
sat  Alfred,  at  his  aunt's  right  hand,  and  Charlie  was 
opposite  Rick.  Not  a  breath  of  the  all-absorbing 
topic  of  the  hour — slavery — was  whispered,  for  the 
host  and  hostess  knew  the  sentiments  of  their  guests, 
and  forbore  to  mention  it. 

Afterward,  when  they  had  retired  to  the  drawing- 
room,  Rose  sang  and  played  for  them,  as  she  did 
everything  else,  sweetly  and  gracefully.  She  even 
knew  many  of  the  latest  and  best  college  songs, 
having  learned  them  for  her  cousin's  benefit,  and  she 


12  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

now  played  an  accompaniment  to  several,  while  Rick 
sang  them,  all  joining  in  the  chorus.  It  was  eleven 
o'clock  before  Rick  thought  of  going,  and  then,  when 
they  cordially  invited  him  to  return  on  the  morrow 
and  make  the  house  his  home  during  the  remainder 
of  his  stay,  he  gladly  accepted. 

He  came,  and  throughout  his  visit  everything  passed 
off  as  smoothly  and  pleasantly  as  during  the  first  even 
ing.  Rick  dared  not  bring  in  any  expensive  Christmas 
gifts — for  Christmas  came  the  day  after  the  one  that 
found  him  settled  in  the  house — but  he  bought  two 
choice  books  for  his  hostess  and  Rose,  and  nearly 
filled  the  house  with  flowers.  During  the  week  he 
escorted  the  whole  family,  with  the  exception  of  Mr. 
Beale,  to  the  theatre,  and  once,  to  his  great  delight, 
he  took  Rose  to  the  opera  alone.  Had  be  been  less 
happy  he  might  have  observed  that  Alfred  appeared 
ill  at  ease  and  annoyed  at  times,  but  he  suspected 
nothing,  saw  nothing,  Alfred's  seemingly  candid  avowal 
at  first,  of  only  brotherly  feeling  toward  Rose,  and 
hint  that  she  might  make  a  good  wife  for  Rick,  threw 
him  entirely  off  his  guard. 

Alfred  wrestled  with  himself  in  those  days  for 
mastery  over  his  actions.  His  feelings  were  very 
bitter  toward  Rick,  and  only  a  thorough  hypocrite 
could  have  disguised  them  completely  ;  but  by  a 
strong  effort,  knowing  how  much  he  had  at  stake,  he 
managed  to  avert  suspicion.  He  could  not  afford  to 
lose  Rick  more  than  he  could  afford  to  lose  Rose. 
He  did  not  doubt,  when  the  end  came  and  Rose  was 
secure  as  his  wife,  that  Rick  would  bear  him  everlast 
ing  enmity  ;  but  he  must  keep  him  in  the  dark  until 
the  last  possible  moment,  he  was  altogether  too  useful 
to  be  angered  a  day  too  soon.  Not  that  he  was  posi 
tively  in  love  with  Rose  ;  on  the  contrary,  just  at 
present,  his  feeling  toward  her  resembled  hatred  very 
closely.  But  he  did  not  know  one  other  marriageable 
young  lady  who  could  bring  her  husband  such  a  sum 
of  money  at  once  as  she,  and  money  he  must  have, 
for  his  father  had  died  since  his  entrance  into  college, 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  13 

and  something  must  he  done  right  speedily,  or  his  an 
cestral  home,  which  had  been  bequeathed  him  by  his 
father  burthened  with  debt,  would  forever  pass  from 
his  hands.  He  must  reduce  the  mortgages  at  once  ; 
they  had  been  put  off  or  pushed  ahead  until  the  fol 
lowing  autumn,  when  a  portion  of  them  at  least  must 
be  met.  He  brooded  over  his  foolish  behavior  in 
bringing  Rose  and  Rick  together. 

"The  only  mistake  I  made,"  he  said  to  himself, 
"  was  in  overrating  my  influence  with  her  and  under 
rating  Rick's  powers  of  fascination.  But  how  could  I 
dream  that  Rick  would  fancy  a  Northern  girl  ?  I  only 
thought  I  would  have  him  to  pay  the  bills  which  I 
seemed  to  run.  Well,  there  is  no  use  lamenting  what 
is  past,  I  must  try  and  counteract  what  has  been  done 
in  some  way  and  see  they  do  not  meet  in  future. 
The  very  worst  feature  of  it  all  is,  they  are  both  en 
gaged  to  spend  the  vacation  with  me — or,  rather,  the 
summer — since,  as  Rick  says,  our  lives  are  to  be  one 
long  vacation  when  this  year  is  done.  His  may  be, 
but  as  for  me  I  am  only  beginning  the  strife,  unless 
my  plans  are  fulfilled  ;  but  they  must  be  !" 

The  next  day,  being  the  last  of  their  visit,  Alfred 
sought  to  sow  the  seed  of  discord  between  Rick  and 
the  family,  particularly  with  Rose.  So  he  began  upon 
the  subject  of  slavery.  He  was  in  the  drawing-room 
with  Rose,  and  he  heard  Rick  coming  down  the  stair 
case. 

"You  are  very  well,  Cousin  Rose,"  he  began,  as 
though  they  had  been  having  a  dispute  upon  the  sub 
ject  ;  "  the  only  fault  I  have  to  find  with  you  is  that  you 
are  such  a  dreadfully  determined  little  abolitionist." 

She  smiled  and  glanced  toward  Rick,  who  had  just 
entered  the  room  in  time  to  hear  Alfred's  closing 
words. 

"Are  abolitionists  so  dreadful,  then  ?"  she  asked. 

"Very,"  returned  Alfred  ;  "are  they  not,  Rick  ?" 

"  Some  of  them,  no  doubt,  are,"  Rick  replied,  rather 
evasively,  and  seeming  for  once  unwilling  to  argue 
the  case. 


14  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

"But  don't  you  think  my  cousin  especially  so,"" 
Alfred  persisted,  "  when  her  grandmother  was  a  Vir 
ginia  lady  and  owned  slaves  ?" 

"  Am  I  answerable  for  my  grandmother's  acts  ?" 
coolly  inquired  Rose. 

"  No,  but  do  you  think  you  are  right  in  condemning 
them  ?" 

"  Who  said  I  condemned  them  ?  No  dolibt,  in  my 
grandmother's  time,  slavery  existed  in  a  very  mild 
form.  The  subject  had  never  been  agitated,  and  pos 
sibly  the  dear  lady  had  not  formed  the  habit  of  thinking 
for  herself.  This  I  know  :  When  she  was  married, 
she  brought  several  slaves  to  New  York  with  her,  and 
afterward,  long  before  the  law  was  passed  here  liber 
ating  all  slaves  when  they  reached  a  certain  age,  she 
set  her's  free.  So  my  grandmother  was,  to  a  greater 
extent  than  I  am,  an  abolitionist.  She  was  a  practical 
one,  while  I  am  entitled  to  the  name  only  in  theory." 

Rick  laughed  ;  he  could  not  have  helped  it,  or  told 
the  reason  why  he  was  glad  Rose  had  the  best  of  the 
argument.  He  seemed  arrayed  against  himself.  Not 
that  he  was  at  all  won  over  to  her  way  of  thinking  ; 
he  was  simply  so  much  in  love  he  could  not  oppose 
her  in  anything.  But  Alfred  was  determined  he  should 
commit  himself. 

"Rick,"  he  said,  "have  you  turned  coward?  Why 
don't  you  undertake  to  explain  the  subject  of  slavery 
to  Cousin  Rose?  I  have  heard  you  make  it  out  a 
divine  institution  so  often,  and  at  college  no  one 
dares  oppose  you  upon  this  point.  I  am  unable  to 
account  for  your  silence." 

"If  I  am  silent,"  he  said,  "it  is  because  I  fancy 
Miss  Halbert  does  not  care  to  hear  me  enlarge  upon 
the  subject.  I  was  born  on  a  plantation  which  has  its 
hundreds  of  slaves.  My  father  is  a  slaveholder,  my 
grandfather  was  one  ;  indeed,  if  I  outlive  my  father 
(who  I  hope  may  be  spared  for  many  years)  I  shall 
be  a  slaveholder  myself.  It  is  natural  that  I,  born 
and  bred  in  the  South,  should  believe  in  slavery;  it 
is  equally  natural  that  Miss  Halbert,  born  and  bred 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  15 

in  the  North,  should  be  opposed  to  it.  The  name 
sounds  badly  to  those  who  do  not  understand  the  in 
stitution,  and  it  is  not  strange  that  tender-hearted 
people  should  object  to  it." 

"  But  I  learned  my  aversion  to  slavery  in  the 
South,"  said  Rose,  and  Alfred,  who  feared  his  attempt 
to  get  the  two  to  quarrel  had  failed,  now  leaned  for 
ward  in  breathless  interest,  feeling  like  patting  Rose 
upon  the  head  for  her  last  remark. 

"Indeed,"  Rick  said,  though  in  a  gentle  tone.  "  I 
am  surprised  at  this.  Will  you  tell  me  how  it  was  ?" 

"  I  was  at  Riverton,  Cousin  Alfred's  home,"  she  re 
plied  ;  "it  was  during  my  last  visit  there,  five  years 
or  more  ago.  I  saw  little  to  disgust  me  with  slavery 
there,  for  I  was  a  child,  and  not,  perhaps,  a  thought 
ful  one.  The  slaves  seemed  comparatively  happy, 
being  usually  all  smiles,  at  least  in  my  presence.  A 
friend  of  my  aunt  lived  upon  the  estate  adjoining ; 
she  often  came  to  Riverton,  and  petted  me  so  much  I 
thought  her  perfection  itself.  I  was  accustomed  to 
going  home  with  her  to  spend  several  days  at  a  time, 
and  I  was  soon  on  the  best  of  terms  with  her  serv 
ants,  particularly  her  maid,  who  was  a  really  beautiful 
mulatto  woman,  called  Sue.  Mrs.  Thornton  had  no 
children  of  her  own,  but  her  husband  was  devoted 
to  her,  and  her  will  was  law  at  all  times.  Sue  had 
three  children — three  bright,  pretty  little  things — 
and  her  husband  was  one  of  uncle's  slaves.  I  had 
seen  Mrs.  Thornton  slap  her  in  the  face  with  one 
breath  and  give  her  a  pair  of  gold  earrings  the 
next,  and  after  that  I  was  a  little  afraid  of  her 
myself.  One  day  Mr.  Thornton  came  home — I  have 
since  thought  he  was  intoxicated — and  seeing  Sue 
in  the  hall  he  called  her,  and  when  she  came  he 
reached  out  his  hand  and  patted  her  under  the  chin. 
I  shall  never  forget  poor  Sue's  frightened  face,  nor 
the  stormy  scene  that  followed.  Mrs.  Thornton  was 
looking  over  the  head  of  the  staircase,  and  she  rushed 
down  and  caught  Sue  by  her  curly  hair  and  beat  her 
in  the  face  with  her  clenched  hand.  I  ran  up  and  hid 


l6  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN     NOBILITY. 

in  the  closet,  I  was  so  frightened.  Mrs.  Thornton 
sent  at  once  for  a  man  who  was  stopping  at  the  near 
est  town  ;  it  was  said  he  was  a  slave-trader.  I  sup 
pose  he  was,  for  he  came,  and  in  spite  of  Mr. 
Thornton's  remonstrances,  he  was  obliged  to  sell  Sue; 
and  the  man  took  her  away  that  very  night,  away  from 
her  husband  and  children — I  can  hear  the  poor  things 
scream  yet.  I  heard  the  man  promise  Mrs.  Thornton 
he  would  sell  her  hundreds  of  miles  away,  and  I  sup 
pose  he  did.  I  was  so  excited  I  set  out  without  bon 
net  or  wrap  for  Riverton,  and  begged  my  uncle  to  go 
and  buy  poor  Sue;  but  I  was  laughed  at  for  my  pains. 
I  was  so  shocked  that  I  went  to  my  room  and  to 
bed,  being  too  ill  to  rise  for  a  week  or  more,  and  I 
raved  constantly  in  my  sleep  of  the  dreadful  sight  I 
had  witnessed.  From  that  day  to  this  I  have  been  an 
abolitionist,  and  Mrs.  Thornton  made  me  one.  I 
could  never  endure  to  look  upon  that  woman's  face 
afterward." 

"  I  have  never  witnessed  anything  like  this  in  my 
lifetime,"  Rick  said,  "  for  it  is  a  very  unusual  case.  I 
don't  wonder  at  the  effect  it  had  upon  your  opinions 
or  your  mind.  No  doubt  slavery  has  its  dark  sides, 
but  it  has  its  bright  ones,  too,  like  almost  every  other 
situation  in  life." 

"  But  the  happiness  of  a  slave  is  so  insecure,"  said 
Rose.  "A  sudden  death,  aye,  a  sudden  whim  even, 
upon  the  part  of  their  owner  and  they  are  sep 
arated  at  once  and  forever  from  all  that  is  dear  to 
them." 

"  Only  in  rare  cases,"  said  Rick.  "  The  death  of 
my  grandfather  made  no  difference  to  his  slaves,  and 
i  trust  the  death  of  my  father  will  affect  them  quite 
as  little." 

"  But  if  you  were  to  die  soon  after  your  father, 
what  then  ?"  she  asked  quickly. 

"  They  would  be  scattered,  no  doubt,  to  a  certain 
extent  among  my  sisters." 

"  Suppose  you  had  no  sisters  ?" 

"Then  I  should  say,  'God  help  the  slaves.'     But 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  17 

death  affects  families  at  the  North,  does  it  not,  and 
jealousy,  too  ?" 

"  Often,  no  doubt ;  but  not  so  terribly  as  it  does 
the  poor  Southern  slaves." 

"  Perhaps  not ;  we  will  not  argue  further,  with  your 
permission,  only  let  me  say,  Miss  Halbert,  I  do  not 
wonder,  under  the  circumstances,  at  the  opinions  you 
hold.  I  only  hope  that  your  next  visit  among  slave 
holders  and  slaves  may  give  you  an  opportunity  of 
seeing  the  brightest  side  of  slave-life." 

"  I  hope  so,  indeed,  though  even  that  would  scarcely 
change  my  opinion.  I  am  to  spend  the  coming  sum 
mer  at  Riverton,  and  I  certainly  hope  to  find  Cousin 
Alfred's  servants  happy." 

"Then  I  shall  have  the  pleasure  of  meeting  you 
there,"  said  Rick,  "  for  I  have  promised  Alfred  a  visit 
at  the  same  time." 

"  Indeed  !"  and  her  face  showed  the  pleasure  she 
felt,  for  she  was  strongly  interested  in  him,  and 
fancied  in  the  goodness  of  her  girlish  heart  that  he 
might  readily  be  converted  to  her  creed,  at  least  so 
far  as  to  be  induced  to  make  out  free  papers  for  each 
of  his  slaves,  to  take  effect  at  his  death. 

Alfred  was  not  quite  satisfied  with  the  turn  the 
argument  had  taken,  for  he  did  not  wish  Rick  to 
know  of  Rose's  promised  visit  to  Riverton,  and  he 
determined  to  favor  leaving  for  college  early  on  the 
following  morning,  to  prevent  farther  mischief. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

RIVERTON. 

Alfred's  father  had  died  quite  suddenly,  during 
his  son's  vacation,  a  year  and  a  half  previously.  He 
knew  the  tangled  state  of  his  affairs,  and  calling 
Alfred,  who  was  his  eldest  child,  to  his  bedside, 
had  a  long  and  serious  conversation  with  him. 

"  My  son,"  he  said,  "  I  have  struggled  to  clear  the 
estate  from  debt,  but  in  vain  ;  each  year  finds  me 


iS  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

more  and  more  involved.  Perhaps  fate  will  be  more 
kind  to  you.  I  am  about  to  make  my  will,  and  I  want 
to  acquaint  you  with  my  intentions.  There  are  your 
mother  and  the  two  younger  children  to  be  provided 
for.  If  I  leave  Riverton  to  you,  I  must  leave  you 
also  the  care  of  these  helpless  ones.  I  think  I  will 
leave  your  mother  and  Ida  each  a  home  here  until 
they  marry — for  your  mother  may  marry  again — with 
a  small  annuity  to  each,  your  mother's  to  continue 
during  her  lifetime  and  Ida's  to  cease  with  her  mar 
riage.  As  to  James,  I  will  also  leave  him  a  home,  and 
a  slight  annuity  until  he  becomes  of  age.  This  will 
be  quite  a  burthen  to  you,  and  you  may  not  feel  equal 
to  the  undertaking.  I  only  propose  it  because  I 
cannot  bear  to  see  the  estate  pass  into  the  hands  of 
strangers.  If  it  were  sold  to-day,  with  all  its  servants, 
the  mortgages  could  be  paid  and  quite  a  handsome 
sum  would  be  left  besides  ;  but  I  have  had  a  feeling 
against  parting  with  any  of  my  slaves,  and  they  are 
not  so  profitable  here  as  farther  South.  So  the  place 
has  become  overrun  with  them — there  are  nearly 
twice  as  many  as  are  needed.  Still  I  strongly  advise 
you,  if  you  sell  at  all,  to  part  with  as  few  as  possible. 
Are  you  willing  to  take  the  estate  with  all  the  encum 
brances  ?" 

"  Yes,  father,"  Alfred  said,  "  I  will  take  it,  and 
clear  it  from  debt  before  ten  years  more  have  passed. 
Be  comforted,  it  shall  not  pass  into  the  hands  of 
strangers." 

The  will  was  made,  the  annuities  being  as  light  as 
possible,  Mr.  Hastings  feeling  that  Alfred's  generosity 
would  supply  all  that  was  needed  in  case  there  was 
any  deficiency.  Two  days  after,  Mr.  Hastings  died. 
Alfred  determined  to  finish  his  collegiate  course ;  but 
not  being  quite  of  age  at  his  father's  death,  the  settle 
ment  of  the  estate  was  postponed  until  the  following 
summer.  Then  he  hoped  to  have  Rick  with  him,  for  he 
well  knew  that  if  he  showed  him  the  true  state  of  the 
case  he  would  loan  him  freely  enough  for  his  present 
needs  ;  but  Colonel  Gonzales  was  quite  ill,  and  Rick 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  19 

was  obliged  to  hasten  home,  promising  to  make  the 
visit  in  the  following  summer.  So  Alfred  sold  a  few 
slaves  to  make  up  what  he  needed  for  his  college  ex 
penses,  and  to  settle  up  affairs  until  he  returned  to 
stay,  with  as  little  compunction  as  he  would  have 
parted  with  a  lot  of  cattle.  His  mother  regretted  the 
act,  but  she  was  too  much  a  slave  to  her  son's  whims 
to  oppose  him  in  anything.  When  this  was  done, 
Alfred  returned  to  college,  laying  his  plans  to  obtain 
some  help  from  Rick,  but  to  secure  a  rich  wife  as  a 
final  relief.  The  next  summer  Rick  was  called  home 
on  account  of  visits  from  distant  friends,  after  having 
spent  a  single  week  in  Riverton.  But  during  that 
time  he  loaned  Alfred  a  sum  sufficient  to  carry  him 
through  the  coming  year,  his  last  at  college,  and 
Alfred  finished  his  vacation  by  visiting  Rose,  when  he 
fancied  he  saw  his  way  quite  clear. 

At  Easter  it  was  impossible  to  prevent  Rick  from 
making  a  flying  trip  to  New  York.  Alfred  pleaded 
lack  of  time,  but  when  he  found  Rick  was  decided 
upon  going  in  any  case,  he  prepared  to  accompany 
him.  As  he  anticipated,  it  resulted  in  even  a  greater 
degree  of  friendliness  than  had  been  expressed  be 
fore,  both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beale  seeming  to  be  as  fond 
of  Rick  as  was  Rose  herself.  As  the  close  of  the  year 
approached,  Alfred  wrote  his  mother  saying  that  in 
view  of  the  sentiments  of  his  cousin  Rose  he  would 
prefer  having  her  visit  deferred  until  toward  Septem 
ber,  for  he  would  be  obliged  to  part  with  all  extra 
servants,  and  under  the  circumstances  it  would  be  far 
pleasanter  for  all  to  have  her  visit  delayed  until  busi 
ness  affairs  were  disposed  of.  He  suggested  that  his 
mother  should  write  Rose  at  the  last  moment,  tell  her 
that  the  weather  was  warm  and  oppressive,  and  there 
was  some  fever  about,  and,  all  things  considered,  al 
though  she  greatly  regretted  it,  her  visit  would  be 
safer  if  postponed  for  a  few  weeks. 

Rose  received  the  letter,  reading  it  regretfully,  but 
could  only  acquiesce  ;  it  being  so  affectionate  she 
suspected  nothing.  She  sat  down  and  wrote  a  short 


20  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    MOBILITY. 

note  to  Alfred,  telling  him  of  the  letter,  and  that,  in 
consequence,  she  was  going  to  Niagara  at  once  with 
tier  aunt,  whose  health  was  somewhat  delicate.  She 
therefore  would  not  be  home  when  he  passed  through 
the  city,  but  would  be  down  to  Riverton  about  the 
middle  of  August,  if  all  was  well.  Then  she  wished 
to  be  remembered  to  Mr.  Gonzales,  and  closed  in  a 
cool  matter-of-fact  way. 

Alfred  read  the  portion  of  her  letter  which  told  of 
iier  trip  to  Niagara  aloud  to  Rick,  also  of  her  intended 
arrival  in  Riverton,  but  substituted  July  for  August, 
and  omitted  the  compliments  altogether.  Rick  was 
neither  piqued  nor  especially  hurt  at  being  forgotten, 
though  he  said  to  himself  that  some  little  message 
would  have  been  gratefully  received.  But  after  all 
Alfred's  plan  did  not  work  so  well  as  he  had  hoped, 
for  Colonel  Gonzales  wrote  Rick  saying  it  was  his 
desire  to  see  him  for  a  few  days — he  would  detain 
him  only  a  little  while,  and  then  he  should  visit 
Riverton. 

This  was  to  be  regretted,  certainly.  He  hoped  to 
have  Rick  and  the  assistance  of  his  purse  until  it  was 
time  for  Rose  to  come,  then  Rick  might  leave  as  soon 
as  he  chose.  Somehow  Rose  must  be  hindered  from 
coming  until  he  had  gone.  Then  each  were  to  be  told 
the  other  had  been  careless  about  a  meeting ;  he  would 
then  devote  himself  to  Rose  and  take  her  by  storm. 
Now  he  must  do  without  Rick  at  the  beginning,  and 
no  one  could  tell  what  the  end  would  be.  He  went 
home  when  the  year  was  over,  having  graduated  but 
with  few  honors.  He  was  not  in  a  happy  frame  of 
mind,  but  he  began  settling  up  the  estate  at  once. 
All  the  slaves  who  were  not  absolutely  needed  were 
sold  without  mercy  and  scattered  far  and  wide,  to  take, 
as  he  expressed  it  to  his  mother,  the  sharp  edge  off  the 
mortgages,  to  pay  up  the  interest,  and  cancel  the  last 
one,  which  was  pressing.  All  this  was  accomplished, 
and  then  he  breathed  more  freely  ;  there  was  a  load 
off  his  mind.  It  left  him  with  a  light  purse,  but  he 
calculated  upon  Rick's  generosity  to  bridge  him  over 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  21 

till  Rose  should  be  won.  Then  he  began  writing  to 
Rose,  without  asking  the  privilege,  in  a  friendly  way. 
He  spoke  of  his  responsibilities,  of  his  efforts  in  be 
half  of  his  beloved  Riverton,  but  did  not  state  in 
what  direction  these  efforts  lay.  He  spoke  of  the 
responsibility  he  felt  in  assuming  the  guardianship  of 
so  many  people,  and  that,  as  he  looked  into  it  more 
and  more,  he  began  to  feel  that  slavery  was  far  from 
right.  He  begged  her,  however,  not  to  mention  his 
sentiments,  as  by  expressing  them  publicly  he  would 
be  shunned  or  persecuted  by  his  Southern  friends. 
"  It  will  not  do  to  speak  openly  of  such  things  now," 
he  said,  "  and  especially  until  after  Rick's  visit,  for  he 
is  so  radical  in  his  views  upon  the  subject  of  slavery  ; 
but  it  will  not  hinder  me  from  disposing  of  my  slaves 
as  I  please  when  I  die,  if  not  before." 

It  had  not,  indeed,  prevented  him  from  realizing  a 
good,  round  sum  for  several  of  them,  but  poor  little 
Rose  knew  nothing  of  this.  She  was  so  sorry  for 
poor  Alfred,  and  wrote  him  a  most  encouraging  letter 
on  account  of  his  noble  sentiments.  She  was  sorry 
Mr.  Gonzales  did  not  concur  with  him  in  opinion  ;  she 
had  thought  better  things  of  him.  And  then,  of 
course,  Alfred  wrote  again,  thanking  her  for  all  her 
goodness  to  him,  which  was  all  the  encouragement  he 
had.  As  to  Rick,  she  must  not  expect  too  much  of 
him,  for  he  was  never  known  to  contradict  a  lady  in 
his  life.  He  was  something  of  a  favorite  in  ladies' 
society,  for  he  had  such  a  devoted,  almost  chivalrous 
manner;  but  then  he  meant  little  by  that,  as  his  pro 
verbial  fickleness  proved.  After  this  he  praised  his 
friend  faintly  in  other  ways,  and  when  the  letter  came 
to  Rose  she  read  it  and  sighed  a  little,  lying  awake 
half  the  night  to  think  it  over,  trying  to  be  brave  and 
not  sob  over  it,  but  feeling  very  sore  at  heart  that 
she  had  been  so  mistaken  in  her  estimate  of  Rick's 
character.  She  confided  the  last  to  Alfred  in  her 
next  letter,  and  he  smiled  when  he  read  it,  and  mut 
tered  to  himself  that  Riverton  was  surely  safe. 


22  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

CHAPTER    V. 

DOLORES. 

Colonel  Gonzales  had  been  spending  the  winter 
in  Cuba.  He  spoke  Spanish  fairly,  and  his  physi 
cian  recommended  the  climate  as  probably  beneficial, 
for  he  was  very  ill  indeed.  He  took  with  him  his 
own  body  servant,  who  gave  him  some  trouble  on 
account  of  not  understanding  the  language.  While 
he  was  able  to  be  about  he  fared  well  enough,  but  he 
was  prostrated  with  sickness  soon  after  his  arrival, 
and  he  suffered  greatly  because  Jake  could  not  com 
prehend  the  doctor's  directions.  As  soon  as  he  par 
tially  recovered  he  sent  Jake  home  and  employed  a 
Cuban  slave  to  attend  him.  When  quite  himself 
again  he  sought  out  a  friend  of  his  father,  or,  rather, 
the  son  of  his  father's  friend,  a  Senor  Ambrosio,  who 
resided  in  Havana,  and  who  received  Colonel  Gon 
zales  with  much  warmth,  urging  him  to  make  his 
house  his  home  during  the  remainder  of  his  stay. 
Senor  Ambrosio  had  a  beautiful  daughter,  to  whom 
the  Colonel  became  greatly  attached,  in  a  fatherly 
sort  of  a  way.  Falling  ill  a  second  time,  Dolores 
nursed  him  tenderly  and  carefully  back  to  health,  and 
he  felt  upon  his  recovery  that  she  had  saved  his  life. 
She  seemed  to  have  a  special  genius  for  nursing,  her 
touch  and  step  being  light,  her  presence  strengthful 
and  soothing,  and  particularly  so  to  the  feeble  old  man 
who  had  missed  a  woman's  care  so  long.  After  this 
he  had  no  serious  illness ;  it  seemed  as  if  the  senorita 
checked  every  slight  attack  in  the  beginning,  always 
knowing  just  what  to  do  and  doing  it  at  once,  for  he 
obeyed  her  like  a  child.  Her  skill  was  taxed  in 
another  direction  during  the  early  spring.  Senor 
Ambrosio  was  taken  seriously  ill — alarmingly  so — and 
Dolores  took  her  stand  at  his  bedside.  Faithfully 
she  nursed  and  watched  him,  but  it  was  all  in  vain, 
for  he  died  after  being  confined  to  his  bed  only  a 
'veek.  Before  he  passed  away  he  sent  for  Colonel 
Gonzales  and  had  a  private  understanding  with  him 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  23 

concerning  Dolores,  though  its  exact  nature  the 
Colonel  never  disclosed.  When  he  returned  home  in 
May,  however,  he  brought  the  sefiorita  with  him. 

There  was  quite  a  commotion  among  the  slaves  at 
Idlefield  when  the  colonel  returned.  The  senorita 
was  shown  through  the  house  and  allowed  to  take 
her  choice  of  rooms.  To  every  one's  surprise  she 
took  one  upon  the  second  floor — the  largest ;  but 
Colonel  Gonzales  felt  she  could  not  be  made 
comfortable  there  on  account  of  the  heat,  and  so 
advised. 

"  I  prefer  it,"  she  said  in  her  soft  voice,  which 
showed  a  tinge  of  foreign  accent,  though  she  spoke 
English  fluently  and  had  a  graceful  command  of 
either  language.  "I  am  accustomed  to  the  heat,  and 
in  this  room  I  shall  have  what  I  sometimes  dearly 
prize — solitude." 

So  it  was  put  in  the  best  possible  order  for  her,  and 
whenever  the  colonel  was  away  she  would  always  sit 
there  by  a  window  which  overlooked  the  hills  at  the 
north  and  gaze  upon  them  with  dreamy  solemn  eyes 
for  hours.  Here,  too,  she  sat  in  the  evening  before 
retiring,  always  looking  out  over  the  hills  and  seem 
ing  to  be  solving  some  problem  which,  though  it 
might  not  trouble  her  greatly,  was  nevertheless  ever 
present  in  her  mind.  When  Colonel  Gonzales  was  at 
home  she  always  took  her  meals  with  him,  and  chatted 
pleasantly  the  whole  morning  long.  In  the  afternoon 
she  took  a  siesta,  usually  playing  upon  the  piano 
for  an  hour  or  two  afterward,  and  when  tea  was 
over  there  was  more  chatting  with  the  colonel  until 
bed-time.  If  he  chanced  to  be  ill  she  devoted  her 
whole  time  to  him,  often  sitting  up  all  night  cheer 
fully,  with  Jake  near  at  hand,  usually  asleep  upon  the 
floor  in  the  hall  just  outside  the  door. 

This  was  how  Rick  found  matters  when  he  came 
home  from  school.  He  met  Dolores  at  the  tea-table, 
where  she  presided  with  rare  grace.  She  was  dressed 
in  black,  though  not  in  what  could  be  called  mourn 
ing,  for  it  was  a  rich,  glossy  silk,  and  as  was  then  the 


24  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

fashion,  especially  in  warm  climates,  her  neck  and 
shoulders  were  bare.  She  had  a  superbly  rounded 
form,  a  pale  olive-tinted  complexion,  dazzling  white 
teeth,  full  red  lips,  dark  wavy  hair,  and  magnificent 
black  eyes.  Rick  was  wonderfully  impressed  with 
her  strange  beauty.  She  wore  no  jewels,  except  that 
her  bodice  was  clasped  in  front  with  a  brooch,  in 
which  an  immense  carbuncle  blazed  like  a  coal  of  fire  ; 
about  it  were  set  four  large  pearls,  one  on  either  side, 
and  making  the  shape  of  the  brooch  like  a  diamond. 

Rick  closely  watched  her,  scarcely  knowing  whether 
to  be  displeased  or  glad.  It  seemed  scarcely  right 
for  his  father  to  bring  this  beautiful  creature  to  his 
home  when  there  was  no  other  woman  to  receive  or 
care  for  her,  and  she  was  far  too  young  and  fair  to 
be  exposed  to  the  tongue  of  scandal.  When  tea  was 
over  she  said  to  the  colonel : 

"  I  will  play  while  you  go  out  upon  the  veranda 
and  chat  with  your  son." 

"You  are  always  so  thoughtful,  child,"  he  said  in 
answer,  and  then  she  swept  away  with  a  graceful, 
gliding  movement  into  the  parlor,  which  was  quite 
dark,  and  began  to  play.  Rick  sat  near  his  father  in 
a  rustic  chair,  and  as  before,  whenever  he  returned, 
began  recounting  the  struggles  and  honors  of  the 
past  year. 

For  a  few  moments  the  old  man  seemed  to  listen 
eagerly,  as  he  had  been  wont  to  do,  and  then  his 
questions  ceased  ;  even  his  answers  and  nods  of  as 
sent  grew  fainter,  until  he  was  silent  altogether.  Rick 
moved  nearer  and  found  he  had  dropped  asleep. 

"  He  is  weaker  than  I  thought,"  he  said.  "  I  am 
glad  I  shall  not  need  to  leave  him  any  more.  Only 
for  Rose  I  believe  I  would  give  up  my  visit  to  River- 
ton." 

He  sat  and  listened  to  Dolores'  playing,  almost  feel 
ing  his  eyelids  grow  heavy  with  slumber,  too,  for  she 
played  low,  soft  melodies,  in  which  at  times  a  vein  of 
monotony  appeared,  yet  it  was  so  sweet  he  could  have 
.vished  her  to  repeat  the  strain  again  and  again,  when 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  25 

her  fingers  wandered  into  other  harmonious  musings. 
Sometimes  a  strangely  thrilling  bar  was  introduced 
suddenly,  as  though  the  keys  were  sobbing;  the  wind 
seemed  sighing  next,  there  was  a  rumble  of  faint 
thunder,  a  pattering  sound  of  rain,  and  in  the  midst 
a  clock  struck  nine ;  afterward  the  rain  ceased,  the 
wind  sank  into  a  breeze  and  faintly  died  away,  and 
all  was  still.  A  moment  after  Dolores  appeared  at 
the  window. 

"  What  were  you  playing  ?"  Rick  asked,  in  a  low  tone. 

"  '  Evening  Memories,'  "  she  said. 

"  I  never  heard  it  before  ;  how  very  sweet  it  is  !" 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?  A  friend  in  Cuba  composed  it. 
I  do  not  think  it  has  appeared  in  print.  Has  your 
father  gone  to  sleep  ?" 

"Yes,"  he  answered. 

"  Poor  old  man  !  it  is  really  too  bad ;  he  will  not 
feel  well  when  he  wakes,  I  fear.  I  did  not  think  he 
would  fall  asleep  when  you  were  here  or  I  would  not 
have  played." 

"  Has  he  been  very  ill  ?" 

"He  is  often,  and  recently  I  think  he  grows  weaker 
with  each  attack,  however  light  it  may  be." 

"  He  is  so  old,"  said  Rick.  "And  yet  I  never  fully 
realized  before  that  I  am  the  child  of  his  old  age.  I 
fear  he  has  been  more  ill  than  I  knew,  and  am  thank 
ful  he  has  been  spared  to  me  so  long.  I  could  not 
have  borne  it  if  he  had  died  while  I  was  away  !" 

The  old  man  stirred  uneasily,  and  Dolores  came 
and  spoke  to  him  gently,  asking  if  he  were  tired. 

"  You  will  not  rest  well  here,"  she  said,  "  and  the 
night  air  is  growing  chill.  Shall  I  not  call  Jake  and 
have  him  help  you  to  bed  ?  And  then  if  you  are 
wakeful  I  will  play  for  you." 

"Yes,"  he  said,  "  I  will  go.  I  believe,  my  boy,  I  fell 
asleep  while  you  were  talking ;  pardon  me,  Rick.  It 
was  because  she  was  playing — Dolores  often  plays  me 
to  sleep." 

Jake  now  made  his  appearance,  and  Rick  rose  and 
gave  his  father  his  arm. 


20  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

"  Shall  I    play,  or   do   you    prefer   quiet  ?"    asked 
Dolores,  as  she  preceded  them  into  the  hall. 

"  Play  for  me,  Dolorita,"  he  said.     "  Good  night, 
my  girl." 

"  ' Buenos  noches,  tenga  £// "  she  answered,  and  a 
moment  later  the  piano  was  murmuring  a  low,  word 
less  song. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

FOR    THE    LAST    TIME. 

The  next  day  the  colonel  remained  in  bed.  He  wa«r 
not  very  ill,  but  he  seemed  listless  and  weary,  and  he 
could  not  bear  either  Rick  or  Dolores  out  of  his  sight. 
To  do  Rick  justice,  though  he  did  long  for  the  sighx 
of  Rose  Halbert's  face,  the  thought  that  he  coulo 
leave  his  father  never  entered  his  mind.  He  wrote  to- 
Alfred  that  his  father  was  ill,  and  it  was  extremely 
doubtful  if  he  could  come  to  Riverton  at  all,  bidding 
him  give  his  regrets  to  Miss  Halbert  and  say  how 
sorry  he  was  not  to  be  able  to  meet  her. 

"  If  father  recovers,"  he  said  by  way  of  a  post 
script,  "  you  may  expect  me  for  a  short  while  later  in 
the  season,  though  even  that  is  doubtful." 

Alfred  read  the  letter  and  made  up  his  mind  in  a  mo 
ment  to  write,  urging  Rose  to  come  on  at  once.  By  this 
time  there  was  a  very  friendly  feeling  existing  between 
him  and  Rose,  caused  chiefly  by  his  letters,  which  had 
been  carefully  worded  and  prepared  with  the  design 
of  producing  this  effect.  She  seldom  mentioned  Rick 
in  hers  now,  and  she  always  thought  of  him  with  a 
little  pang  of  regret.  When  her  aunt  praised  him  it 
gave  her  sincere  pleasure,  and  she  resolved  Mrs.  Beale 
should  never  know  how  deceitful  he  was.  When  she 
received  Alfred's  letter  urging  her  to  come  on,  as  the 
season  was  more  healthful  than  was  expected,  she 
made  immediate  preparations  for  going,  and  arrived 
early  in  August. 

Two  weeks  later,   the  colonel  having  rallied  and 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  27 

seeming  quite  himself  again,  Rick  decided  to  pay  a 
short  visit  to  Riverton,  solely  upon  Miss  Halbert's  ac 
count.  As  for  Dolores  she  was  a  puzzle  to  Rick. 
At  first  he  was  inclined  to  be  jealous  of  her  influence 
over  his  father,  and  decided  if  there  had  not  been 
such  a  vast  difference  between  their  ages  that  the 
Colonel  might  have  made  a  fool  of  himself  and  mar 
ried  the  girl.  But  after  watching  them  closely  for 
some  time  he  felt  he  had  been  unjust.  Dolores  was 
like  a  devoted  daughter  only,  and  Rick  came  at  last 
to  accept  her  as  a  blessing  to  his  father,  even  though 
she  seemed,  in  some  unaccountable  manner,  to  stand 
nearer  his  heart  than  did  Rick. 

"  Perhaps  I  was  selfish  to  go  away  and  leave  him 
when  he  was  so  old,"  he  said,  "  and  this  is  a  sort  of 
punishment  to  me  on  account  of  my  undutiful  be 
havior.  I  am  glad  he  has  had  some  one  to  comfort 
him,  and  will  not  murmur  even  if  I  have  lost  the  first 
place  in  his  heart.  Perhaps  it  is  all  for  the  best,  and 
will  give  me  more  leisure  to  devote  to  Rose." 

"Come  back  soon,  my  son,"  the  old  man  said  as  he 
bade  him  "  Good-by." 

"  I  will  not  go  at  all  if  you  bid  me  stay,"  Rick  said, 
the  tears  coming  into  his  eyes. 

"Go,  my  boy,"  the  Colonel  answered,  earnestly. 
"  I  will  not  be  alone,  but  if  I  am  taken  ill  I  will  send 
for  you  without  a  moment's  delay." 

He  went,  determined  to  lose  no  time  in  learning  his 
fate  of  Rose,  for  he  could  not  tarry  long.  It  was  true 
he  was  rather  young,  only  just  twenty-one,  but  he 
appeared  older  than  he  really  was,  and  since  his  edu 
cation  was  completed  and  he  had  no  lack  of  means 
there  was  no  reason  why  he  should  not  marry  at  once, 
for  Idlefield  needed  a  mistress. 

Alfred  met  him  at  the  railroad  station  with  open 
arms,  giving  him  a  wordy  welcome,  mingled  with  an 
unusual  amount  of  flattery,  which  Rick  would  have 
resented  from  another  source,  but  now  he  received 
with  only  a  quiet  disclaimer.  Riverton  was  really  a 
fine  old  mansion,  with  a  grove  of  catalpa  and  syca- 


28  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY". 

more  trees  set  about  it,  and  as  they  neared  the  house 
they  saw  through  the  foliage  the  flutter  of  light 
dresses  and  heard  a  low  murmur  of  women's  voices. 
As  soon  as  they  were  discovered,  Ida,  Alfred's  sister 
of  ten  years,  rushed  out  to  meet  them  as  they  alighted 
at  the  veranda  on  one  side  of  the  house,  and  a  servant 
came  up  to  lead  the  horses  away.  Then  Mrs.  Hast 
ings  turned  and  gave  Rick  a  graceful,  lady-like 
welcome,  and  after,  Rick  turned  for  a  greeting  from 
Rose. 

Though  at  times  abrupt  and  even  violent  in  his 
conversation  with  gentlemen,  Rick  had  a  pleasing  and 
deferential  manner  in  addressing  ladies.  It  might 
have  been  cultivated  instead  of  natural,  and  often 
was,  without  doubt,  insincere,  but  it  won  him  many 
friends.  To-day,  however,  though  the  words  he 
spoke  to  Rose  came  from  his  very  heart,  they  were 
received  by  her  with  a  certain  coldness  of  manner 
quite  unusual  with  her,  though  scarcely  decided 
enough  to  permit  him  to  remark  it,  much  less  inquire 
the  cause.  He  could  not  be  sure  wherein  this  cold 
ness  consisted,  but  it  did  exist,  continuing  throughout 
the  evening.  It  was  sufficiently  perceptible  to  forbid 
an  immediate  proposal  upon  his  part,  and  his  spirits 
somewhat  dampened  in  their  ardor  he  retired  to  rest 
at  last,  giving  scant  attention  to  Alfred's  stream  of 
light  talk,  which  had  no  further  effect  than  to  put  him 
to  sleep  at  last. 

He  woke  early  in  the  morning,  and  though  he 
deemed  it  wise  to  defer  a  proposal  he  was  still  un 
daunted  in  his  determination  of  winning  the  hand  of 
Rose.  Perhaps,  he  argued,  he  had  offended  her  in 
some  trivial  matter,  or  possibly  as  he  had  not  writ 
ten  her  she  might  think  he  was  only  amusing  himself 
by  flirting  when  she  was  in  sight  and  forgetting  her 
altogether  when  absent.  If  this  were  the  case  he 
would  prove  to  her  that  his  love  was  straightforward 
and  earnest,  and  this  done  he  did  not  fear  the  result. 

A  week  passed,  and  though  Rose's  manner  changed 
slightly  toward  him  it  was  still  in  some  degree  for- 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  29 

bidding  and  grew  to  be  a  puzzle.  It  seemed  as 
though  she  did  care  for  him  at  times,  yet  against  her 
own  judgment  and  will.  Something  must  be  very 
wrong,  but  what?  Rick  shrank  from  speaking  to 
Alfred  about  it,  for  his  love  was  the  most  sacred  thing 
he  had  ever  experienced.  He  could  not  bear  to  men 
tion  it  to  any  one  until  he  had  spoken  to  her  ;  and  then 
Alfred  and  Mrs.  Hastings  both  seemed  so  unsuspect 
ing,  as  though  it  had  never  occurred  to  them  that 
Rick  could  love  Rose.  A  more  devoted  host  and 
hostess  he  had  never  met,  as  one  of  them  was  always 
with  him.  They  loaded  him  with  attentions,  but  Rick 
would  rather  have  had  one  word  from  Rose  than 
volumes  of  their  compliments. 

Impatient  in  most  things,  in  this  new,  strange  de 
light  of  love  Rick  was  most  patient  and  gentle.  At 
length  he  grew  grave  and  anxious,  wonderfully  so  for 
him,  and  then  Miss  Halbert's  manner  changed  ;  she 
was  no  longer  distant  and  forbidding,  but  friendly  and 
gentle  altogether.  Rick  observed  this  change  with 
unbounded  delight.  His  only  difficulty  was  that  he 
could  never  see  her  a  moment  alone.  Just  at  this 
time,  however,  Alfred  was  called  to  a  neighboring 
town  upon  business,  and  Mrs.  Hastings,  who  had  been 
faithfully  guarding  the  two  all  the  morning,  was  sud 
denly  called  away  by  an  accident  to  one  of  the  slaves. 

Rose  was  about  to  follow  her,  but  Rick  gently  de 
tained  her. 

"  Stay,"  he  said,  "  it  is  the  first  moment  I  have  had 
you  all  to  myself  since  I  came  here." 

Rose  paled  a  trifle. 

"  Do  you  fear  me  ?"  he  asked.  "  Have  I  ever  been 
so  unfortunate  as  to  offend  you  in  any  manner  ?" 

"  Oh,  no  !"  she  answered,  quickly.  "  And  I  have 
observed  with  much  concern  how  sad  you  have  grown 
of  late.  Is  it  anxiety  for  your  father's  health  ?  Alfred 
said  so." 

"  I  have  had  much  to  bear  this  summer,"  Rick  re 
plied.  "  First,  my  father's  health  has  caused  me 
great  alarm,  and  only  for  the  pleasure  of  meeting 


30  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

you  here  I  would  not  have  left  him.  But  I  found 
you  grave  and  distant ;  you  seemed  to  grudge  me 
every  word,  and  you  seldom  deigned  to  give  me  a 
smile.  This  more  than  anything  else  has  grieved  me." 

"  I  did  not  dream "  she  began,  and  then  little 

Ida  rushed  into  the  room  to  tell  them  that  Alfred  had 
come. 

He  had,  indeed,  and  he  entered  hastily  a  moment 
later,  his  face  expressing  deep  alarm. 

"  Rick,"  he  said,  "  my  dear  fellow,  I  have  a  tele 
gram  for  you.  I  sincerely  hope " 

But  Rick  interrupted  him  with  an  impatient  gesture. 
He  put  out  his  hand  and  said  simply,  with  white  lips 
and  a  low,  strange  voice,  which  was  almost  a  whisper  : 

"  The  telegram  !"  And  Alfred,  awed  a  trifle,  gave 
it  without  another  word. 

"  He  is  not  dead/'  he  said,  as  though  speaking  to 
himself,  when  he  had  torn  it  open  and  read  its  con 
tents — "thank  God  for  that!"  Then  turning  to  Rose 
he  added,  "  my  father  is  very  ill  indeed,  and  I  must 
go  to  him  at  once." 

Rose  had  no  opportunity  to  answer  him,  for  both 
Alfred  and  his  mother  broke  out  in  profuse  utterances 
that  were  evidently  meant  to  be  consolatory ;  but  Rick 
did  not  seem  to  hear  them,  for  in  their  midst  he 
darted  up  to  his  room  and  began  hastily  to  toss  his 
things  into  his  trunk.  Alfred  followed,  and  as  he 
appeared  in  the  room  Rick  turned  hurriedly  about. 

"  When  does  the  first  train  leave  ?"  he  asked. 
"  Because  if  I  am  obliged  to  hurry  in  order  to  catch  it 
I'll  get  you  to  send  my  traps  after  me." 

"There  is  plenty  of  time,"  Alfred  said.  "The 
train  starts  in  just  an  hour  and  a  half.  That  will  give 
you  an  opportunity  to  pack  up  and  eat  your  dinner 
before  you  go." 

"  Eat  ?"  Rick  said,  and  then  he  went  on  with  his 
packing. 

At  first  he  thought  only  of  his  father,  but  now  there 
came  a  longing  for  one  moment  alone  with  Rose,  in 
which  he  might  give  her  a  hint  of  his  intentions 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  3f 

toward  her ;  but  no  opportunity  occurred.  Instead, 
Alfred  followed  him  about  like  a  shadow,  bewailing 
the  necessity  of  Rick's  leaving  so  hurriedly,  hoping 
nothing  serious  would  occur,  and  urging  Rick  to  bear 
up  in  admonitions  which  rendered  his  trouble  un 
bearable  and  nearly  drove  him  wild.  He  was  obliged 
to  bid  Rose  good-by  before  them  all,  but  he  managed 
also  to  say  to  her  that  he  would  write  her  soon  after 
his  arrival  at  Idlefield.  Then  with  a  quick,  loving 
glance,  and  a  gentle  but  warm  and  lingering  pressure 
of  the  hand,  he  bade  her  adieu. 

"  I  am  very  sorry  for  you,"  she  said,  in  a  low  tone, 
returning,  though  ever  so  slightly,  the  pressure  of  his 
hand.  And  then  Rick  rushed  away  that  no  one  might 
see  how  her  simple  words  unmanned  him. 

Alfred  drove  him  to  the  depot,  bade  him  cheer  up, 
and  saw  him  set  out  upon  his  journey.  The  country 
was  not  at  that  time  covered  with  a  network  of  rail 
roads,  therefore  to  travel  this  distance  was  some 
thing  of  an  undertaking,  it  being  accomplished  by- 
rail,  boat  and  stage.  When  it  was  nearly  over  at  last, 
and  he  arrived  at  the  station  nearest  Idlefield,  he 
found  Sol,  his  own  body  servant,  awaiting  him. 

"Fank  de  Lo'd,  Mas'r  Rick  !"  he  said  devoutly, 
"you's  home  at  last." 

"  How  is  father  ?"  asked  Rick  anxiously. 
"Well,  sah,  Mammy  tole  me   to  tell  yer   as  how 
Miss  Dolory  'lowed  he  ain't  no  wuss  ;  but  he  is  bin. 
powerful  bad  all  'long,  pore  ole  Mas'r." 

Rick  breathed  more  freely,  and  taking  the  reins 
in  his  own  hands  urged  the  horses  to  their  utmost 
speed,  and  in  an  hour's  time  stood  by  his  father's 
bed-side.  The  old  colonel's  face  brightened  when  his 
son  entered  the  room.  The  tears  came  to  his  eyes, 
and  he  feebly  put  out  his  hand  to  meet  Rick's  loving 
clasp,  that  seemed  to  give  new  life  to  the  withered 
veins  of  the  almost  nerveless  arm  that  thrilled  with 
the  young,  warm  pressure. 

"I  knew  you  would  come,"  h«  said,  in  a  weak 
voice.  "  My  boy,  I  could  not  die  until  I  saw  you 


32  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

once  more,  for  I  have  something  to  tell  you — some 
thing  I  wish  vou  to  do  when  I  am  gone." 

"  Why,  father,"    returned    Rick,   trying    to    speak 
cheerfully,  "  you  must  not  die  at  all.     I'm  not  going 
to  leave  you  ever  again."     He  turned  and  gave  his 
hand  to  Dolores,  saying,  "  I  thank  you  for  your  kind  • 
care  of  him." 

A  look  of  perfect  content  crossed  the  sick  man's 
face  and  he  reached  for  Rick's  hand  again.  Rick 
gave  it,  sitting  down  upon  the  bedside,  and  his  father 
soon  sank  in  a  refreshing  sleep.  Dolores  stole  out  of 
the  room  softly,  she  looked  pale  and  tired,  but  Rick 
sat  for  hours,  never  moving  for  fear  of  disturbing  the 
sleeper.  At  last  his  father  stirred,  and  opening  his 
eyes  they  rested  upon  his  son's  in  loving  content. 

"I  have  slept  so  well,"  he  said.  "Ah,  Rick!  your 
coming  has  done  me  a  world  of  good  already.  I  feel 
as  though  I  might  take  some  toast  and  tea." 

"  And  so  do  I,"  said  Rick,  "  now  I  find  you  so  well, 
for  I  have  eaten  little  since  I  started." 

Tea  and  toast  were  ordered,  and  after  the  colonel 
had  taken  a  small  quantity  Dolores  came  down  and 
sat  with  him,  while  Rick  went  out  to  partake  of  a 
hearty  meal  which  Mammy  had  ordered  for  him. 
When  he  returned  to  the  sick  chamber  the  colonel 
spoke. 

"  I  have  not  been  up  for  two  or  three  days,"  he 
said,  "  but  now  I  feel  quite  strong  and  would  like  to 
take  the  air.  It  is  not  late  yet,  is  it,  Rick  ?" 

"  No,  it  is  scarcely  six  o'clock  and  the  sun  is 
brightly  shining.  Would  you  like  us  to  put  you  in 
your  big  chair  and  take  you  out  upon  the  veranda  to 
watch  the  sunset  while  the  sefiorita  plays  for  us  ?" 

"  Yes,  Rick,  I  would  like  to  sit  as  we  did  the  night 
you  first  came  home  ;  it  would  rest  me  so,  I  know." 

Calling  Jake  to  assist,  Rick  tenderly  lifted  his 
father  into  the  chair,  and  with  his  dressing-gown 
wrapped  closely  about  him  they  drew  him  out  where 
the  rays  of  the  setting  sun  shone  upon  him,  while 
Dolores  played  softly  within.  The  servants  gathered 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  33 

about,  smiling  to  see  how  much  better  "  pore  ole 
Mas'r  "  seemed  since  Rick  was  home  once  more,  and 
then  one  by  one  they  stole  away  again. 

"  You  will  be  kind  to  our  people  when  I  am  gone, 
Rick  ?" 

"Yes,  father." 

"  Sometimes  I  think  I  have  been  too  strict,  espe 
cially  in  former  days.  They  need  a  little  recreation, 
you  know,  and  an  hour  more  or  less  taken  from  labor 
will  scarcely  be  missed.  Your  mother  was  good  to 
them  always." 

"  And  I  will  try  to  be,  father,  do  not  fear." 

There  was  a  long  pause.  The  twilight  was  begin 
ning  to  close  in  ;  the  piano  was  giving  forth  sweet 
and  low  melodies,  like  a  soft  wind-harp. 

"  Most — of — all,"  the  Colonel  spoke  slowly,  "  I 
wish  you  to  be  good  to — her." 

"Father,"  very  earnestly,  "  do  not  be  troubled.  If 
you  leave  me  I  will  remember  what  you  have  said  ; 
nay,  more  than  this,  if  I  think  you  have  left  anything 
unsaid  I  will  try  and  do  all  as  I  believe  you  would 
wish  me  to  do." 

"  God  bless  you,  Rick  !"  and  then  there  was  a 
pause. 

The  piano  keys  were  sobbing  now.  The  red  light 
in  the  west  faded,  and  what  seemed  like  a  flush  upon 
the  old  man's  cheek,  with  it  died  away.  He  leaned 
back  in  his  chair. 

"  Dolores  often  plays  me  to  sleep,"  he  said. 

Mammy  came  out  with  a  blanket,  which  Rick 
wrapped  about  him.  He  glanced  up  with  a  smile  but 
did  not  speak,  and  then  slowly  he  seemed  to  drift 
away  into  the  land  of  dreams. 

"  Are  you  not  tired,  father  ?"  Rick  gently  asked  at 
length  ;  but  the  old  man  was  slumbering  peacefully 
and  did  not  reply.  The  music  ceased  and  Dolores 
came  out  on  the  veranda. 

"  Is  not  the  night  air  too  cool  for  him  ?"  she  asked. 

"  I  almost  fear  so,"  Rick  answered  softly,  "but  you 
have  played  him  to  sleep.  Shall  I  draw  his  chair  into 


34  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

the  house  or  shall  we  let  him  slumber  on  for  a  few 
moments  ?" 

She  went  up  to  the  old  man's  side  and  felt  his  fore 
head,  his  face,  his  hands. 

"The  night  air  cannot  harm  him,"  she  said  ;  "you 
may  draw  his  chair  within  but  he  will  not  wake.' 
Yes,  I  have  played  him  to  sleep,  but  it  is  for  the  last 
time." 

"  As  I  live  he  is  dead  !"  says  Rick,  who  immedi 
ately  summoned  the  servants  to  remove  him  to  his 
chamber,  where  in  due  time  he  was  laid  out. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

A    REVELATION. 

Upon  the  day  following  the  funeral  Rick  sat  alone 
in  his  father's  chamber,  his  own  now.  He  felt  lonely 
and  dispirited,  too  much  so  to  attempt  a  letter  to  Rose. 
He  could  not  look  into  the  future,  for  when  he  at 
tempted  it  he  could  see  but  a  little  way  ;  beyond  all 
seemed  shut  out  as  by  a  dark  pall.  The  novelty  of 
being  master  of  so  large  and  rich  a  domain  had  not 
the  least  exhilarating  effect  upon  him,  and  he  could 
think  of  but  few  things  to  be  thankful  for.  One  was 
that  his  father  had  been  spared  until  his  return,  the 
other  that  Rose  seemed  to  feel  so  kindly  toward  him 
when  he  left  Riverton.  As  to  Alfred,  he  could  hardly 
tell  how  it  was  he  had  grown  almost  distasteful  to 
him.  Still  he  suspected  nothing  ;  he  was  more  in 
clined  to  think  it  might  be  that  his  own  love  for  Rose, 
and  despondency  because  of  her  seeming  coldness, 
had  put  his  own  soul  out  of  tune  until  everything 
jarred  upon  it  which  was  not  favorable  in  prospering 
his  suit  with  her. 

Only  one  of  his  sisters  had  been  present  at  the 
funeral ;  the  others  lived  too  far  away  to  permit  them 
to  arrive  in  time,  and  the  one  who  was  enabled  to  do 
so  had  left  on  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  her  home 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  35 

duties  being  pressing  on  account  of  illness  there. 
Rick  had  seen  so  little  of  his  sisters  in  the  past  five 
years  they  seemed  almost  like  strangers  to  him.  As 
for  Dolores,  though  he  felt  grateful  to  her  for  her  care 
of  his  father,  though  he  admired  her  strange  beauty 
and  wonderful  skill  at  the  piano,  he  found  no  pleas 
ure  in  conversation  with  her.  She  disliked  to  speak 
English,  and  he  was  not  familiar  enough  with  Spanish 
to  converse  freely  in  the  tongue,  so  they  really  had 
spoken  little  together.  His  thoughts  now  turned  to 
her  and  he  wondered  how  he  could  dispose  of  her,  as 
he  felt  it  was  not  right  for  her  to  remain  alone  with 
him  at  Idlefield.  While  busy  with  this  thought  there 
was  a  tap  at  the  open  door,  and  the  seiiorita  came  in 
at  his  bidding.  She  came  forward  slowly,  after  bow 
ing  slightly,  and  laid  a  small  parcel  in  his  hand. 
Rick  observed  how  white  she  looked  ;  even  her  lips 
were  pale,  and  though  they  seemed  unsteady  while 
she  spoke  there  was  no  trace  of  tears  in  her  eyes. 

"  Here  are  two  papers,"  she  said,  "  which  your 
father  bade  me  deliver  to  you  in  person.  They  are 
written  in  Spanish,  and  they  concern  me  alone.  What 
they  contain  no  living  person  beside  me  has  any  idea. 
I  could  have  withheld  them  from  you,  for  it  was 
greatly  to  my  interest  to  do  so ;  but  he  preferred  you 
should  know,  and  I  will  not  disobey  him  now  he  is 
dead  ;  and  then,  too,  he  told  me  I  could  trust  you." 

"  Thanks,"  he  answered,  taking  the  packet  from 
her  hand.  "  I  am  not  good,  sefiorita — I  am  not  good 
at  all ;  yet  I  think  I  have  never  been  so  base  as  to 
disappoint  any  one  who  has  trusted  in  me." 

"  He  trusted  in  you,"  she  said  ;  "  but,  remember,  I 
do  not.  In  giving  these  papers  to  you  I  run  a  great 
and  vital  risk.  Not  that  I  think  you  base,"  she  con 
tinued,  as  he  was  about  to  interrupt  her,  "  but  you  are 
human,  and  all  humanity  is  frail." 

"  You  are  nervous,"  he  said,  "  and  though  I  do  not 
understand  you  I  feel  certain  you  do  me  wrong.  Sit 
down  ;  I  assure  you  there  is  nothing  you  need  fenr 
from  me  more  than  you  feared  from  my  father." 


36  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

"  Thanks,  I  cannot  sit  down,  I  have  no  further 
message.  I  will  go,  and  when  you  have  read  what  I 
have  brought  you  I  am  sure  you  will  send  for  me." 

"  One  moment,  please.  Since  my  father's  death  you 
take  all  your  meals  in  your  room.  Is  it  because  you 
prefer  it,  or  do  you  feel  I  consider  your  presence  a 
restraint  ?" 

"  I  prefer  it  for  the  present,"  she  answered. 

"Consult  your  own  convenience  in  this,  as  in  every 
thing.  One  thing  more — "  for  her  foot  was  upon  the 
threshold,  she  seemed  determined  to  avoid  him — "do 
you  not  find  your  chamber  too  warm  for  comfort?" 

"  It  is  at  the  north  side  of  the  house,  therefore  quite 
cool.  It  has  two  large  windows,  for  at  the  top  the 
wall  is  high.  Besides,  I  like  warmth.  I  am  accus 
tomed  to  it.  More  than  this,  your  father  would  not 
have  placed  me  in  an  uncomfortable  room." 

Rick  watched  her  while  she  spoke,  her  teeth  seem 
ing  to  flash  with  whiteness  in  direct  contrast  to  her 
dark  eyes.     Her  beauty,  which  was  decidedly  of  the 
Spanish  type,  was  never  more  dazzling  than  to-day. 

"  She  is  perfectly  beautiful,"  he  thought ;  "  but  I 
would  never  fall  in  love  with  her  nor  she  with  me." 
Then  aloud  he  answered  her  statement  of  a  moment 
before.  "  No,  father  would  never  place  you  in  any 
uncomfortable  position  knowingly.  He  cared  greatly 
for  your  comfort,  and  he  was  right,  for  a  daughter 
could  not  have  been  more  kind  to  him.  But  I  thought 
it  might  seem  very  lonely  there  now,  for  to  ne,  since 
he  is  gone,  the  house  seems  almost  haunted." 

"  It  is  encantado !  Si^por  ciestof"  she  cried  quickly. 

"The  loneliness  seems  indeed  dreadful,"  said  Rick, 
"  and  I  feel  at  times  as  though  I  would  go  wild.  I 
think  if  you  were  to  play  for  me  it  would  exorcise  the 
spirits,  at  least  it  would  soothe  me  into  peace." 

"  I  will  play,"  she  answered,  seeming  rather  relieved 
than  otherwise  at  the  request,  and  then  she  glided 
away. 

"She  is  a  strange  creature!"  he  muttered,  " be 
wildering  almost ;  but  then  I  do  not  choose  to  be 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  37 

bewildered.  And  to  be  honest,  she  seems  averse  to 
my  company.  There  was  a  certain  courage  in  her 
words  aud  manner  when  she  said  these  papers  placed 
her  somewhat  in  my  power,  and  though  she  did  not 
believe  in  me  she  would  not  withhold  them.  What 
shall  I  do  with  her  ?  Surely  she  cannot  remain  here 
even  if  Rose  should  come.  Perhaps  the  papers 
Dolores  brought  me  may  direct  me,  but  I  cannot  read 
them  now." 

He  rose,  put  them  away  under  lock  and  key,  lighted 
a  cigar  and  puffed  away  so  fiercely  the  room  soon  be 
came  one  deep  cloud  of  smoke.  The  music  at  first 
sounded  weird  and  strange,  as  though  it  might  woo 
the  spirits  rather  than  frighten  them  away ;  then  it 
changed,  growing  softer  while  Rick  listened  ;  he  be 
gan  to  smoke  more  slowly,  at  last  tossing  the  cigar 
away.  A  gentler  expression  came  over  his  face. 

"  I  will  do  it  now,"  he  said,  "  and  the  music  will 
inspire  me  with  eloquence,  perhaps,  which  may  reach 
her  heart." 

Taking  pen,  ink  and  paper  he  began  to  write. 
First  a  letter  to  Alfred  was  indited,  in  which  he 
briefly  told  of  his  father's  death  and  burial.  Then  he 
wrote  more  at  length  to  Rose,  telling  her  of  his  love 
for  her,  and  desiring  to  make  her  his  wife.  "  I  know 
of  our  difference  of  opinion  in  regard  to  slavery,"  he 
said,  "but  I  promise  you  to  do  nothing  in  regard  to 
my  slaves  to  which  you  object.  In  this,  as  in  all  other 
things,  I  can  deny  you  nothing."  Much  more  was 
added,  and  then  he  sealed  and  directed  the  letter,  en 
closing  it  in  the  one  he  wrote  Alfred,  while  in  his 
letter  he  asked  Alfred  to  give  the  one  enclosed  to 
Rose.  This  done  he  called  Sam  and  sent  him  to 
Milton,  the  nearest  post-office,  in  order  that  it  might 
go. out  on  the  mail  that  day. 

"  I  shall  have  an  answer  in  a  week  at  the  very 
latest,"  he  said,  "  perhaps  in  five  days,  for  surely  she 
will  write  me  at  once.  Meanwhile  I  will  consider 
what  is  best  to  be  done  with  Dolores.  I  think  I  will 
send  her  back  to  her  friends  in  Havana,  though  I  fear 


38  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

she  has  not  many,  or  she  would  scarcely  have  left 
them  to  come  to  a  strange  country  with  a  compara 
tive  stranger.  An  orphan,  father  said,  the  daughter 
of  an  old  friend,  and  she  has  neither  brother  nor 
sister.  It  would  prove  rather  uncomfortable  if  she 
has  no  one  to  whom  she  can  go.  Of  course,  in  any 
case,  I  shall  not  allow  her  to  want." 

Then  he  forgot  her  altogether  in  thinking  of  Rose, 
except  so  far  as  her  music  affected  him,  for  she  still 
played  on,  falteringly  it  seemed  to  him  at  last.  Sud 
denly  remembering  that  the  effort  of  playing  so  long 
was  tiresome,  especially  to  her  worn  with  watching, 
he  rose  and  went  into  the  parlor,  regarding  her  in 
silence  for  a  moment,  for  she  was  not  aware  of  his 
presence.  Her  fingers  seemed  to  move  instinctively 
over  the  keys,  while  her  eyes  were  gazing  out  of  the 
open  window,  looking  wistfully  far  away,  and  her 
mind  seemed  to  follow  them. 

"  Are  you  not  tired  ?"  Rick  asked,  seeing  she  looked 
so  pale  and  sorrowful. 

She  finished  with  two  or  three  deep  chords  and 
then  rose,  facing  him. 

"Well,  seiior?"  she  said,  questioningly. 

"  What  do  you  wish  ?"  he  queried,  failing  to  under 
stand  her. 

"You  have  not  read  the  papers  I  gave  you." 

"  No ;  I  fancied  there  was  plenty  of  time  and  I  did 
not  know  you  were  so  anxious ' 

"  Por  Dios  /"  interrupting  him,  "  read  them  at 
once  !  I  am  worn  out  with  suspense  and  would  know 
the  worst." 

"  Be  calm,  seiiorita,"  he  said.  "  Surely  there  is 
nothing  to  excite  yourself  about.  I  see  you  are  ex 
hausted  with  long  watching.  Mammy  has  told  me 
how  faithful  you  have  been.  Go  to  your  room  now 
and  rest.  Do  not  be  troubled  about  your  future,  but 
remember,  if  you  fear  aught  from  me,  that  I  am  my 
father's  son  and  respect  his  wishes  and  his  memory." 

"Thanks,"  she  replied,  in  a  calmer  tone.  "I  will 
go  to  my  room  and  remain  there  until  you  send  for 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  3-) 

•me.  You  will  do  so  when  you  have  read  what  I  have 
given  you." 

She  left  the  room  with  her  graceful,  gliding  foot 
steps,  while  Rick  watched  her  admiringly. 

"  How  nervous  she  is  !"  he  said.  "  Perhaps  she  has 
no  property  of  her  own  and  she  fears  I  will  turn  her 
out  penniless." 

He  went  back  into  his  room,  opened  his  desk  and 
took  out  the  package,  and  seated  himself  in  an  easy 
chair  to  read  it.  He  opened  the  smaller  paper,  and 
as  his  eye  glanced  over  it  the  angry  blood  rushed  to 
his  face  and  a  fierce  expression  came  over  it  as  he  set 
his  lips  hard  together. 

It  was  simply  a  receipt  made  out  to  his  father,  ac 
knowledging  a  sum  in  Spanish  coin  equal  to  two 
thousand  dollars,  in  full  payment  for  the  slave  girl 
Dolores,  an  octoroon,  and  signed  by  Senor  Ambrosio. 
The  other  paper  was  a  recommendation,  also  signed 
by  the  Senor,  which  set  down  in  brief  the  merits  of 
Dolores.  She  was  beautiful,  accomplished,  healthy, 
youthful,  and  possessed  a  wonderful  genius  for 
nursing  the  sick. 


CHAPTER     VIII. 

IN    HONOR    BOUND. 

The  paper  dropped  from  Rick's  hand,  his  face  was 
white,  and  for  the  space  of  a  moment  he  could 
scarcely  breathe  so  bitter  was  his  anger.  Though 
extremely  chivalrous  to  women  as  a  rule,  the  thought 
that  he  had  sat  at  the  table  with,  and  entertained  as 
an  equal,  one  who  was  in  reality  a  slave  was  to  his 
mind  then  something  bordering  upon  indecency,  and 
the  most  degrading  insult  which  could  have  been  of 
fered  him.  The  girl  was,  it  was  true,  as  beautiful 
and  apparently  as  accomplished  as  any  lady  he  had 
evei  met.  She  appeared  like  one  high-born  and  well- 
bred,  but  the  fact  of  her  having  been  a  slave  put  a 


40  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

barrier  between  them — the  most  insurmountable 
barrier  of  any  which  the  whole  world  could  raise  or 
hold. 

It  was  not  strange  that  his  father  should  purchase 
her,  since  she  possessed  qualifications  which  ren 
dered  her  invaluable  as  a  nurse  ;  it  was  not  surpris 
ing,  being  alone  in  a  distant  land,  his  own  servant 
useless  because  he  could  not  speak  the  language,  that 
the  colonel  should  pay  for  her  an  exorbitant  price  ; 
nor  was  it  strange  that  he  should  appreciate  her 
worth  and  grant  her  unusual  privileges.  But  that  he 
should  bring  her  to  his  house  as  an  equal,  introduce 
her  as  the  daughter  of  a  deceased  friend,  should  sit 
with  her  at  table,  show  her  numerous  attentions 
such  as  any  lady  gently-born  might  receive — well,  it 
was  beyond  belief  ;  his  father  was  either  in  his  do 
tage  or  insane.  The  insult  was  unbearable  ;  he  could 
never  recover  from  the  disgrace. 

And  Dolores — that  indecent  thing !  as  Rick  men 
tally  styled  her — had  aided  in  this  deception,  had 
permitted  it,  undoubtedly  had  planned  it  from  the 
first.  He  sprang  to  his  feet  and  began  to  pace  the 
floor  with  quick,  long  strides,  an  occasional  oath  or 
other  imprecation  falling  from  his  lips.  Sol,  who  was 
a  black,  well-formed  and  withal  faithful  negro,  re 
turned  from  the  post-office  with  the  mail,  and  upon 
glancing  through  the  open  door  and  witnessing  with 
wonder  his  master's  frowning  brow,  dark,  angry  face, 
and  nervous  pacing  to  and  fro,  laid  the  letters  upon 
a  table  near  the  entrance  in  silence  and  quite  as 
silently  departed. 

"What  ails  Mas'r  Rick?"  he  asked  of  Mammy, 
Rick's  old  nurse,  whom  he  met  in  the  hall.  "  He 
'pears  'cited  like." 

"An*  why  shouldn't  he  be,  poah  boy?"  returned 
Mammy,  rather  sharply,  "  an'  ole  marstah  cole  in  de 
groun'.  Go  'way,  you  is  got  no  feelin',  nohow  !" 

On  comforting  thoughts  intent  she  proceeded  to 
Rick's  chamber,  but  on  reaching  the  door  she,  too, 
paused.  There  was  not  a  servant  upon  the  plantation 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  41 

who  was  quite  bold  enough  to  disturb  Rick  in  his 
anger,  not  even  his  privileged  nurse.  So,  after  glanc 
ing  into  his  room  a  moment,  the  old  woman  walked 
thoughtfully  away,  wondering  what  could  have  hap 
pened  to  her  young  master  to  put  him  in  such  a 
towering  rage,  for  it  was  plain  to  be  seen  his  excite 
ment  was  the  result  of  anger  rather  than  sorrow.  On 
reaching  the  veranda  at  the  rear  of  the  house  she 
encountered  Sol,  who  had  waited  to  watch  her  return 
from  Rick's  room,  feeling  sure  of  the  result,  and  he 
now  began  to  chuckle  in  her  hearing. 

"Why  didn't  yer  go  in,  Mammy?"  said  he,  grin 
ning  from  ear  to  ear.  "  Why  didn't  yer  tell  him  about 
de  Lo'd  a-givin'  an*  de  Lo'd  a-takin'  away  agin,  an' 
sich  ?" 

Now  Mammy  was  never  known  to  harm  anything, 
but  she  was  given  to  awful  threats  which  were  sup 
posed  to  strike  the  hearts  of  her  listeners  with  abject 
fear,  but  which  in  reality  seldom  provoked  anything 
worse  than  a  hearty  fit  of  laughter.  She  had  in  reality 
more  influence  over  Rick  than  any  other  slave  upon 
the  place,  and  she  prided  herself  upon  it  on  all  occa 
sions.  To  dispute  this  was  always  sure  to  bring  down 
her  wrath  upon  the  doubting  ones,  and  therefore  she 
would  not  have  had  Sol  witness  her  signs  of  weakness 
in  that  direction,  by  coming  away  from  Rick's  room 
without  daring  to  enter,  for  the  world. 

"  Sol,"  said  she,  in  a  tone  meant  to  sound  particu 
larly  awful,  "  ef  I  eber  comes  across  yo'  when  I'se  got 
a  kittle  o'  bilin'  watah  handy,  either  de  Lo'd  or  de 
debbil  '11  take  yo',  sure — now  yo'  jes  bar  dat  in 
mind  !" 

Unconscious  of  interruption,  Rick  paced  the  floor, 
still  white  with  anger,  resolved  at  one  moment  to  send 
for  Dolores,  have  her  arrayed  in  the  oldest  and  filthi 
est  rags  the  plantation  could  muster  and  sent  out 
among  the  field  hands  to  work.  At  another  he  fully 
determined  to  take  her  to  New  Orleans,  setting  out 
upon  the  following  morning,  and  have  her  sold  to  the 
highest  bidder.  He  was  only  waiting,  he  told  himself, 


42  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

to  consider  which  would  be  the  most  dreadful  in  the 
way  of  punishment. 

Tired  out,  at  length  he  sat  down  and  brooded  over 
the  subject,  more  calm  outwardly  from  sheer  exhaus 
tion  but  none  the  less  enraged  at  heart.  Mammy, 
passing  the  door  again  and  mistaking  his  outward 
appearance  of  gratitude,  sent  a  diminutive  darkey  to 
tell  him  that  supper  was  ready,  while  she  from  a  safe 
distance  watched  the  effect.  His  only  reply  was  to 
throw  a  book  at  the  wooly  head  of  the  messenger, 
whereupon  she  sent  word  to  Mandy  in  the  kitchen 
that  Mas'r  Rick  didn't  wish  to  be  disturbed,  and 
ordering  the  chicken  kept  hot. 

Now  that  Rick  considered  the  feasibility  of  placing 
Dolores  in  the  cotton-field  he  felt  it  would  give  rise 
to  a  certain  degree  of  scandal  in  the  vicinity,  for 
though  he  lived  greatly  to  himself,  as  his  father  had 
done  before  him,  the  slaves  from  neighboring  planta 
tions  visited  and  exchanged  gossip  with  his  own,  and 
he  could  not  bear  that  any  one  should  learn  his 
father's  weakness,  for  he  felt  they  would,  in  that  case, 
treat  his  memory  with  contempt  instead  of  respect. 
On  the  other  hand,  though,  under  pretense  of  sending 
her  back  to  Cuba,  he  might  take  her  down  to  New 
Orleans  and  have  her  sold  at  auction  ;  it  would  take 
up  too  much  time,  and  he  could  not  well  leave  Idle- 
field  until  he  had  received  an  answer  from  Rose. 

For  himself  he  could  never  forgive  his  father  for  sub 
jecting  him  to  the  indignity  of  meeting  a  mere  slave, 
his  by  right,  both  soul  and  body,  upon  equal  ground. 
But  it  would  never  do  to  expose  this  unaccountable 
act  to  others.  It  was  as  though  his  father  had  com 
mitted  theft,  forgery  or  murder,  and  he  must  keep  the 
secret,  to  guard  his  memory  as  well  as  the  respecta 
bility  of  the  family  from  shame. 

Later,  cooler  judgment  came  to  his  aid.  He  re 
membered  that  his  father  was  ill,  lonely  and  old.  He 
must  not  sit  in  judgment  upon  his  actions — the  father 
who  had  made  the  world  so  easy  for  him,  and  who  had 
been  all  goodness  his  whole  life  through,  as  far  as  his 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  43 

boy  was  concerned.  And  then  when  he  came  to 
consider  how  Rose  would  probably  look  at  the  matter 
from  her  own  standpoint,  he  acknowledged  that  she 
would  not  think  any  blame  could  be  attached  to  his 
father's  conduct.  Besides,  he  had  pledged  his  word 
to  Dolores  herself.  He  recalled  his  exact  words  :  "  Re 
member,  if  you  fear  aught  from  me,  that  I  am  my 
father's  son,  and  respect  his  wishes  and  his  memory." 
He  shrank  from  breaking  his  word  even  to  a  slave. 
And  Rose,  how  could  he  meet  her  clear  eyes  again 
without  shrinking  if  he  committed  what  she  would 
consider  a  great  injustice  against  Dolores,  who  was 
wholly  at  his  mercy  ? 

And  then,  greater  than  all,  stood  his  promise  to  his 
dying  father.  How  readily  he  had  pledged  his  word 
to  be  good  to  "her,"  knowing  well  who  was  meant ; 
and  he  had  even  gone  farther,  to  anticipate  anything 
the  poor  old  man  might  wish  to  say  but  found  him 
self  too  weak  to  utter.  Had  he  not  promised  to  do 
in  all  things  as  his  father  wished,  and  could  he  rest 
in  his  grave  while  his  son  was  disregarding  his 
pledge  ? 

"No,"  Rick  said  half  aloud,  as  he  glanced  out  over 
the  fields  bathed  in  the  white  moonlight,  "  I  must  do 
nothing  rashly  and  nothing  that  would  seem  unjust 
to  her.  I  must  keep  my  hands  clean  from  crime  and 
tyranny  or  I  cannot  give  them  to  Rose  without  feel 
ing  guilty,  however  I  might  conceal  my  actions  from 
her  ;  and  then  my  word  is  pledged  to  both  living  and 
dead  and  I  will  keep  it  at  any  cost.  What  I  shall  do 
with  Dolores  I  do  not  know,  but  I  will  give  her  her 
freedom  and  help  her  to  go  away  where  she  can  earn 
her  living  in  some  manner,  and  no  one  shall  know 
from  me  that  she  has  ever  been  a  slave.  I  am  in 
honor  bound  to  do  this  and  I  will  keep  my  word." 


44  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

HIS     F  AT  H  ER'S     SON. 

Dolores  sat  in  her  room  in  a  state  of  mind  border 
ing  upon  distraction,  her  suspense  growing  more  and 
more  agonizing  with  each  moment  that  passed.  She 
had  in  a  certain  degree  influenced  the  colonel  in 
allowing  her  to  be  regarded  as  his  equal  instead  of 
his  slave,  though  indirectly  rather  than  positively. 
She  had  been  reared  her  master's  pet,  being  in  truth 
his  daughter,  and  when  about  to  go  to  the  States  with 
her  new  master  she  shrank  from  contact  with  the 
plantation  slaves,  and  said  as  much.  At  the  last  she 
had  begged  him  to  destroy  the  papers  attesting  to  her 
bondage,  and  he  doubtless  would  have  done  this, 
only  a  fear  came  into  his  heart  that  Rick  might  fall  in 
love  and  marry  her  did  he  leave  him  in  ignorance 
of  her  true  position.  So  he  gave  the  papers  into  her 
hands,  feeling  relieved  of  responsibility  when  she 
promised  to  deliver  them  safely  to  Rick.  He  in 
tended  later  to  tell  his  son  the  truth,  and  form  some 
plan  of  setting  Dolores  free  at  his  death,  but  he  put 
it  off  day  after  day  and  died  with  the  tale  untold. 

A  tap  at  the  door  startled  Dolores  at  last,  and  she 
sprang  up,  white  with  fear,  having  scarcely  voice 
enough  to  bid  the  messenger  enter.  It  was  only  a 
servant  with  a  tray  containing  her  supper,  and  direct 
ing  the  girl  to  put  it  down  and  leave  the  room  she 
turned  back  to  the  window  ;  but  her  fear  was  so 
great  she  called  the  girl  back  to  question  her. 

"  Is  Mr.  Gonzales  in  the  house  ?"  she  asked. 

"Laws,  yes,  Missis,"  was  the  answer,  "  he'rn  in  de 
ole  kernel's  room  a-walkin'  up  an'  down  like  mad. 
Mammy,  she's  hed  'er  eye  on  'im  a  right  smart  while, 
an*  when  she  seen  him  fall  down  as  ef  he  wus  clean 
done  out  she  sent  me  in  to  tell  'im  supper  was  ready. 
An'  what  do  yer  spose  he  done  ?  Why  he  flung  a  big 
book,  he  did,  an'  jes'  grazed  dis  darkey's  head  ; 
laws  !  de  roll  of  an  eye  furder  an'  dis  yer  nig  'd  a  bin 
in  de  land  o'  Canaan,  sure's  yer  bo'n  !  An*  Aunt 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  45 

Mandy  am  powerful  put  out  'case  her  hot  cakes  an' 
briled  chicking  is  a-gitten  all  cole  fur  nothin'  !" 

"  What  can  vex  him  so  ?"  asked  Dolores,  anxious 
to  know  if  he  ha  '  irayed  her  to  any  one  as  yet. 

"  Sakes  alive,  .i.  dunno !  It  don't  take  much  to 
rile  Mas'r  Rick  nohow.  I  reckon  somefin's  done 
gone  crooked,  dunno  w'at  ;  but  dis  I  does  know, 
I'se  sorry  fur  de  one  dat  riled  'im.  He's  got  an 
awful  sperrit,  dat  Mas'r  Rick  ;  he  jes'  as  lib  kill  a 
nig  as  eat  !" 

"  Cielo!"  muttered  Dolores  to  herself,  as  she  turned 
away  cold  with  fear.  She  shivered  with  dread,  yet 
the  perspiration  stood  upon  her  forehead,  the  large 
drops  falling  down  her  face  like  rain.  "  My  soul  is 
crying,"  she  said,  "but  my  eyes  are  hot  and  dry." 

It  was  growing  dark  now  and  every  sound  startled 
her,  every  footstep  in  the  hall  was  bearing  some  one 
to  her  with  a  dreadful  message  which  was  but  the 
precursor  of  a  more  dreadful  fate.  She  heard  shouts 
and  laughter  from  the  negro  quarter  ;  perhaps  they 
were  jeering  at  her.  Every  moment  seemed  an  hour, 
every  hour  an  age,  but  at  length  all  was  still.  She 
rose,  and  opening  the  door  looked  down  the  staircase 
into  the  lower  hall.  All  was  dark  and  still  and  the 
house  evidently  closed  for  the  night. 

"  He  does  not  even  deign  to  acquaint  me  with  my 
doom  until  the  time  comes  to  seal  it,"  she  said  bit 
terly  ;  "  and  yet  he  bade  me  remember  that  he  was 
his  father's  son." 

She  went  to  the  window  and  looked  out.  How 
lovely  the  landscape  looked,  hushed  in  midnight 
silence,  the  white  moonlight  covering  all  as  with  a 
blessing.  It  seemed  to  woo  her  to  come  out.  And 
why  not  ?  Others  had  escaped  from  bondage,  why 
not  she  ?  No  one  would  suspect  her  of  being  a  slave  ; 
she  might  travel  far  without  danger  of  discovery. 
And  yet  how  would  it  end?  She  had  no  money  and 
the  country  was  strange  and  wide.  People  might  not 
suspect  her  of  being  a  slave  but  they  would  grant  scant 
courtesy  to  a  woman  traveling  on  foot,  and  alone. 


46  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

Better  remain  where  she  was  and  endure  what  was 
meted  out  to  her  than  to  fly  to  strange  and  unknown 
terrors.  No  thought  of  leniency  from  Rick  crossed 
her  mind. 

She  took  a  mantilla  from  one  of  the  drawers  and 
threw  it  over  her  head  and  shoulders  and  silently 
stole  down  the  stairs  into  the  hall,  thence  into  the 
parlor,  and  opening  one  of  the  windows  as  noiselessly 
as  possible  she  passed  out  on  the  veranda  in  front  of 
the  house,  fearing  to  emerge  from  the  back  or  side, 
lest  some  of  the  negroes  should  still  be  up  and 
wonder  at  her  movements.  She  was  not  going  far, 
but  she  must  breathe  the  air  a  little,  it  was  stifling 
within.  She  turned  to  adjust  her  mantilla  about  her 
shoulders,  feeling  chilled  in  the  cool  breeze  which 
came  from  the  west,  and  met  Rick  face  to  face. 

She  gave  a  little  start  but  did  not  cry  out,  and  then 
she  stood  motionless  and  dumb  before  him,  not  daring 
to  look  into  his  face,  but  turning  her  eyes  over  to  the 
western  sky,  and  murmuring  in  her  heart  the  prayer, 
"Madre  a  Dios,  or  a  pro  nobis" 

Rick's  face  was  pale  but  very  calm.  If  she  had 
broken  out  into  abject  pleading  he  might  have  spoken 
roughly  ;  as  it  was  he  paused  a  moment  regarding 
her,  and  then  said  in  a  low  tone  : 

"  Well,  Dolores  ?"  questioning  and  cool. 

He  had  always  called  her  seiiorita  before.  She 
turned  now  and  looked  at  him  wonderingly. 

"  Of  what  are  you  thinking  ?"  he  asked. 

"  I  was  wondering  if  you  could  have  read  what  I 
gave  you." 

"  I  read  it." 

"  Ah  ?     Then  I  marvel  still  more." 

"Why?" 

"  Because  you  do  not  swear  at  me  and  beat  me  and 
call  me  vile  names." 

"  Are  you  afraid  of  me  ?" 

"Yes." 

"  But  do  I  look  angry  ?" 

"  No,  you  look  more  dreadful  than  angry,  and  I 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  47 

was  prepared  for  anger.  Besides,  the  law  places  me 
wholly  in  your  power." 

"  Were  you  ever  beaten,  Dolores  ?" 

"  Never." 

"  You  were  raised  tenderly,  then  ;  you  were  not 
obliged  to  do  severe  labor  ;  you  had  tutors  ;  you  fol 
lowed  to  a  certain  extent  your  own  will  ?" 

"  I  did.  I  was  not  scolded,  whatever  I  did.  I 
called  Senor  Ambrosio  padre  unreproved,  for  I  was 
in  truth  his  child.  His  wife  had  been  dead  many 
years,  but  when  living  she  was  ugly  and  old,  so  madre 
said.  He  never  loved  her,  he  loved  no  one  but  my 
madre,  and  she  was  his  slave.  He  had  sons  who  were 
married,  and  to  whom  he  gave  all  his  property  when 
he  died.  They  are  my  brothers,  but  I  hate  them  and 
they  hate  me.  I  was  given  what  I  liked  while  he 
lived,  and  was  taught  to  read,  write,  sing,  sew  and 
play.  I  had  servants  to  do  my  bidding.  I  never  did 
anything  but  nurse  the  madre  when  she  was  ill.  She 
died  a  year  ago,  and  in  March  last  my  padre  also. 

"  He  reared  you  tenderly,  but  do  you  know  that  by 
selling  you  as  his  slave  you  became  the  property  of 
my  father,  and  by  his  death  mine,  body  and  soul  ?  Do 
you  know  I  can  send  you  out  to  hard  field-labor 
that  will  make  your  bones  ache  and  your  flesh  sore 
until  life  will  become  a  burden  to  you  who  are  unac 
customed  to  toil  ?  Or,  if  I  choose,  I  can  sell  you  to 
some  beastly  degraded  man  who  will  torture  you 
until  you  long  for  death  as  a  relief  ?  Do  you  know  I 
can  have  you  beaten  to  death  and  no  one  will  dare 
tell  the  truth  concerning  the  deed ;  or,  suppose  it  is 
revealed,  there  is  no  law  to  call  me  to  account  for  de 
stroying  my  own  property  in  whatever  way  I  choose?" 

"  Yes,  I  know." 

"  Then  why  do  you  not  beg  me  to  spare  you  ?  Why 
do  you  not  ask  boldly  for  your  freedom,  basing  your 
plea  upon  my  father's  desire  ?" 

"  Because  you  know  already  what  your  father  would 
have  done.  And  if  you  respect  his  wishes  and  his 
memory,  if  your  own  sense  of  right  and  wrong  are 


48  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

not  sufficient  to  insure  me  justice  and  mercy  at  your 
hands,  all  my  pleadings  could  have  little  weight  with 
you." 

"  So  you  will  not  beg  aught  at  my  hands  ?" 

"  I  suppose  I  might  if  I  were  tortured." 

"  You  expect  no  mercy  from  me  then  ?" 

"  I  did  not,  nor  do  I  scarcely  even  now.  I  am  sur 
prised  at  your  coolness,  that  is  all." 

"  Then  you  were  going  to  escape  when  I  met  you 
just  now." 

"  I  was  not,  indeed.  You  must  think  me  mad. 
Not  but  that  I  would  have  done  so  if  there  had  been 
one  chance  of  a  thousand  of  success.  I  have  no 
money  and  no  friends." 

"  What  am  I  going  to  do  with  you  ?" 

"  I  do  not  know." 

"  Nor  I.  For  myself,  I  do  not  hold  you  blameless 
in  keeping  silence  and  lending  yourself  to  deceive 
me." 

"  Was  I  to  pass  judgment  upon  your  father's  ac 
tions  ?  Was  I  to  disobey  him  who  was  my  master  in 
order  to  please  you  who  were  not  ?" 

"  Perhaps  you  were  right.  I  will  not  promise  you 
much,  Dolores,  but  this  I  will  say :  your  secret  is  safe 
— none  of  my  people  shall  know  from  me  that  you  are 
a  slave.  I  feel  humiliated,  angry,  at  what  my  father 
has  done,  but  I  have  pledged  my  word  to  him  and  to 
you  and  I  will  not  break  it.  Go  to  your  room,  and 
go  on  doing  as  you  have  done  since  my  father  died. 
I  do  not  choose  to  have  you  sit  at  table  with  me,  bul 
otherwise  you  are  to  come  and  go  as  you  please. 
What  I  am  to  do  with  you  I  cannot  tell.  I  have 
matters  of  my  own  which  will  take  up  my  time  for 
the  present,  and  when  I  can  decide  what  is  to  be 
done  with  you  I  will  send  you  word." 

"  Thank  you,"  she  said  ;  "  I  see  now  that  you  are 
indeed  your  father's  son." 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  49 

CHAPTER    X. 

TWO    LETTERS. 

During  the  next  few  days  Rick  busied  himself  in 
looking  after  the  affairs  of  the  plantation.  He  did 
this  in  a  far  different  spirit  from  the  one  in  which  he 
would  have  gone  the  rounds  a  year  previously,  for  he 
constantly  thought  of  Rose,  and  every  act  was  tem 
pered  with  mercy.  On  the  third  day  he  discharged 
his  overseer  for  practicing  undue  severity,  and  a  day 
or  two  later  he  put  a  man  of  more  even  temper  in  his 
place.  He  inspected  every  field  upon  the  plantation, 
every  hut  in  the  negro  quarter,  and  set  at  once  about 
making  improvements  which  were  sadly  needed. 
Only  for  Rose,  he  told  himself,  he  would  never  have 
thought  of  these  things. 

An  answer  to  his  letter  came  very  promptly  from 
Alfred.  Rick  received  it  himself  at  the  post-office,, 
and  eagerly  tore  it  open.  To  his  disappointment 
there  was  not  a  line  or  message  from  Rose.  When  he 
had  made  sure  of  this  he  put  the  letter  in  his  pocket 
and  went  home  to  read  it  in  the  solitude  of  his  room, 
if  solitude  it  could  be  called,  with  half  a  score  of 
small  darkies  tumbling  and  giggling  through  the  hallr 
peeping  in  at  his  door  with  fresh-  screams  of  laughter. 
But  Rick  was  accustomed  to  this,  and  paid  no  more 
heed  to  the  noise  than  if  it  had  come  from  the  field 
or  the  rows  of  low  cabins  at  the  rear  of  the  house. 

Alfred's  letter  was  filled  with  consoling  paragraphs 
on  account  of  Rick's  recent  bereavement,  and  with 
congratulatory  sentences  in  view  of  the  probable 
happy  termination  of  his  wooing.  "  How  sly  you 
were  about  it,"  he  .said.  "  Neither  mother  nor  myself 
dreamed  of  such  a  thing,  and  I  fancy  your  letter  will 
take  Rose  by  surprise.  I  delivered  it  to  her,  without 
comment,  an  hour  ago,  and  have  not  seen  her  since. 
As  soon  as  her  answer  is  ready  I  will  mail  it  to  you 
at  once." 

Rick  read  this  letter  over  and  over  again.  It  read 
smoothly  from  beginning  to  end,  and  yet  he  felt  there 


50  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

was  a  false  note  somewhere.  How  or  where  could  it 
be  ?  Still  he  suspected  no  treachery  upon  the  part  of 
Alfred.  But  it  dampened  the  ardor  of  his  hopes 
somewhat,  and  he  began  to  picture  Rose  as  scornful, 
wrathful,  or,  worse  than  all,  indifferent.  Every  time 
he  read  the  letter  it  filled  him  with  new  distrust  as  to 
the  favorable  result  of  his  offer.  More  than  once  he 
determined  to  destroy  it,  but  he  refrained,  and  at  last 
put  it  safely  under  lock  and  key,  resolved  to  read  it 
no  more. 

For  four  days  afterward  he  went  to  meet  every  mail, 
and  though  he  received  many  letters  from  other  friends 
at  this  time  there  was  nothing  further  from  Alfred, 
and  nothing  at  all  from  Rose.  Again  he  wrote  his 
friend,  saying  if  he  did  not  receive  an  answer 
by  return  mail  he  would  set  out  for  Riverton  at 
once.  This  brought  an  immediate  reply,  though  Rick 
did  not  go  for  it  that  day,  but  sent  Sol  in  his  stead. 
He  sat  in  his  room  waiting  for  his  servant's  return  ; 
he  reclined  in  an  easy  chair  and  leaned  his  head 
wearily  upon  his  hand,  an  attitude  common  to  him  of 
late.  The  day  was  warm  but  perfect,  and  he  looked 
out  over  the  fields  without  a  thought  of  exultation 
that  they  were  his.  The  heat  and  the  weariness  over 
powering  him  at  length,  for  he  rested  little  at  night, 
he  dropped  asleep  and  fell  to  dreaming  upon  the  sub 
ject  so  near  his  heart. 

He  dreamed  that  he  went  to  Riverton  by  some 
quick,  strange  route  only  traveled  in  the  land  of 
dreams,  and  arriving  unexpectedly  and  in  the  night 
time  he  heard  sounds  of  music  as  he  approached, 
and  saw  through  the  open  window  a  gay  company 
moving  in  the  dance.  He  entered  .and  found  himself 
in  the  midst  of  festivities  attending  the  marriage  of 
Alfred  and  Rose.  Upon  confronting  Alfred  with  his 
perfidy  he  only  received  a  heartless  sneer  in  reply,  and 
Rose,  turning  very  pale,  kept  repeating  the  sentence 
she  began  on  the  day  when  he  had  spoken  with  her 
alone :  "  I  did  not  know — I  did  not  know  !" 

He  awoke  with  a  start.     He  was  not  in  Riverton, 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  51 

but  alone  in  Idlefield,  still  waiting  for  his  letter,  and 
the  small  fry  were  turning  somersaults  in  the  hall. 
But  the  impression  left  by  his  dream  clung  to  him,  and 
he  began  to  review  Alfred's  conduct  from  the  begin 
ning  of  his  acquaintance  with  Rose.  If  Alfred  loved 
her  himself  he  had  been  acting  a  lie  from  the  first. 
Yet  he  had  acted  it  very  adroitly,  if  it  were  acting  at 
all. 

"  Let  me  see,"  he  thought.  "First  of  all  he  tells 
me  he  regards  her  as  a  sister  only,  and  recommends 
her  to  me  for  a  wife.  I  decline,  having  never  seen 
her.  But  after  I  come  to  know  her  and  find  how  fair 
and  sweet  she  is  Alfred  speaks  no  more  of  the  possi 
bility  of  my  loving  her,  and  at  last  expresses  himself 
astonished  to  find  this  is  the  case.  Now,  certainly 
he  is  no  fool.  He  must  have  seen  that  I  was  wild 
about  her,  and  only  by  his  constant  watchfulness  did 
he  manage  to  keep  me  from  seeing  her  alone.  But 

what  could  have  been  his  object  ?  Did  he  dream 

Ah,  I  see  !  As  long  as  he  duped  me  my  purse  was 
open  to  him,  and  he  needs  money.  And  Rose — Rose 
is  an  heiress  in  a  small  way.  I  remember  that  he  told 
me  so  !  Good  heavens  !  Is  this  Southern  friendship  ? 
Is  this  Southern  chivalry  ?  Why  a  Yankee  could  not 
have  done  worse,  for  he  would  have  been  suspected 
from  the  first.  But  what  am  I  doing  ?  I  am  declar 
ing  my  best  friend  as  utterly  deceitful,  and  basing  the 
whole  of  my  theory  upon  the  false  impression  of  a 
dream — slight  premises  indeed  for  founding  so  grave 
a  charge.  Forgive  me,  Alfred,  I  am  scarcely  in  my 
right  mind,  and  I  believe  a  few  days  more  of  this 
suspense  will  drive  me  mad.  I  will  not  bear  it  longer. 
If  no  letter  comes  to-day  I  will  set  out  at  once  and 
find  the  reason  why.  What,  Sol,  are  you  home  already  ? 
I  did  not  know  it  was  so  late.  Give  me  the  letters 
and  go  !" 

Yes,  there  was  an  answer  from  Alfred,  a  bulky 
package  that  might  have  contained  two  or  three  let 
ters,  judging  from  its  size.  Surely  Rose  had  written 
at  last  and  he  had  shamefully  wronged  his  friend. 


52  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

He  put  the  letter  down  upon  the  table  before  him, 
wiping  the  perspiration  from  his  brow.  It  was  some 
moments  before  he  could  bring  himself  to  open  it. 
At  last  he  broke  the  seal.  There  was  a  letter  inside 
which  he  took  up  eagerly  and  examined,  turning  it 
over  and  over  ;  then  it  dropped  from  his  hands  and 
he  leaned  his  face  forward  upon  the  table,  uttering  a 
low  moan.  It  was  the  letter  he  had  sent  to  Rose  re 
turned  to  him  unopened. 

When  he  lifted  his  face  again  he  saw  half-a-dozen 
motionless  little  figures  with  bright  black  eyes  staring 
in  at  the  door,  solemn  for  once,  in  wonder  at  "  Mas'r 
Rick's  "  strange  conduct. 

"  Get  out  of  the  house,  you  black  brats  !"  he  cried, 
stamping  his  foot  and  making  a  spring  toward  the 
door. 

At  this  there  was  a  general  stampede  and  much 
screaming,  which  seemed  half  terror,  half  delight,  and 
by  the  time  Rick  reached  the  door  there  was  a  help 
less  tangle  of  what  appeared  to  be  no  end  of  legs  and 
arms  and  woolly  heads  in  a  huge  mass  upon  the 
veranda.  Without  waiting  for  the  mass  to  resolve 
itself  into  its  separate  individualities,  Rick  closed  and 
locked  the  door,  and  resuming  his  seat  by  the  table 
he  took  up  Alfred's  letter  and  read  it  through  to  the 
end.  It  began  : 

"  MY  DEAR  RICK  :  I  am  afraid  you  will  never  forgive  me  for 
what  I  have  done,  but  you  know  that  all  is  fair  in  love  or  war, 
and  I  am  in  love  with  Rose,  who  is  now  my  affianced  wife.  It  is 
of  no  use  for  me  to  deceive  you.  I  did  not  give  her  your  letter. 
When  I  received  it  I  could  not  resist  the  temptation  of  asking  her 
to  be  my  wife  before  I  gave  it  to  her.  Had  she  declined  my  offer 
she  would  at  once  have  had  an  opportunity  of  accepting  or  declin 
ing  yours  ;  but  as  I  received  a  favorable  answer  I  concluded  she 
would  have  rejected  you  in  any  case,  so  I  thought  I  would  save 
you  the  humiliation.  Whether  you  will  thank  me  for  this  or  not  I 
cannot  tell,  but  I  did  what  in  my  judgment  seemed  best. 

"After  all,  Rick,  I  needed  a  wife  more  than  you  did,  for  if  pos 
sessed  of  your  wealth  I  would  never  marry  at  all.  Rose  has  gone 
to  join  her  aunt  for  a  few  weeks  before  returning  to  New  York. 
Meanwhile  I  am  straightening  up  things  preparatory  to  bringing 
home  my  bride.  I  should  like  it  immensely,  old  fellow,  if  you 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  53 

could  come  on  and  finish  the  visit  which  had  such  an  unhappy  end 
ing.  My  mother  desires  to  be  remembered.  I  wish  my  sister 
Ida  were  old  enough  to  offer  you  as  a  substitute  for  the  sweetheart 
I  have  stolen  from  you,  but  she  is  too  young,  unless  you  consent 
to  wait.  To  tell  you  the  truth,  Rick,  I  had  no  idea  until  I  re 
ceived  your  second  letter  that  you  were  so  hard  hit.  But  don't  be 
unreasonable  and  blame  a  fellow  for  loving  Rose  ;  remember  she  is 
just  the  style  to  strike  any  one  and  she  has  had  plenty  of  admirers. 
I  feel  highly  honored  because  she  deigned  to  accept  me.  Please 
write  me  a  word  by  return  mail  to  tell  me  you  forgive  me. " 


CHAPTER  XL 

HOW    RICK    FORGAVE    HIM. 

"  Forgive  him  !"  Rick  whispered,  with  white  lips. 
"The  cowardly  traitor,  false  from  the  very  beginning  ! 
And  he  asks  me  to  forgive  him.  Never,  while  I  live, 
unless  my  mind  and  memory  fail  me.  And  this  is 
my  friend — my  one  valued  and  trusted  friend.  Is  all 
the  world  so,  and  am  I  the  only  fool  ?" 

He  got  up  and  paced  the  floor,  his  remedy  foi 
working  off  extreme  agitation.  But  he  was  weaker 
than  he  had  been  when  he  paced  it  nearly  three  weeks 
before,  then  in  anger  with  Dolores  and  his  father's 
conduct,  and  he  soon  sank  down  again. 

"  What  startling  changes  are  brought  about  in  this 
strange  drama  of  life!"  he  said.  "A  month,  two 
months  ago,  and  I  had  everything — at  least  I  thought 
I  had.  To-day  I  have  nothing,  absolutely  nothing, 
except  this  great  plantation,  which  is  so  lonely  I  must 
leave  it  or  go  mad  !" 

He  went  to  his  secretary  and  drew  forth  Alfred's 
letter  of  two  weeks  before,  laid  side  by  side  with  the 
one  just  received,  and  compared  them,  noting  their 
contradictions.  Yes,  the  first  one  was  written  for  the 
purpose  of  blinding  him  completely  until  all  should 
be  settled.  No  doubt  he  had  deceived  Rose,  too  ; 
perhaps  he  had  slandered  him  and  made  him  appear 
a  hypocrite  in  her  eyes. 


54  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

"He  has  married  her  for  her  money,"  he  said  bit 
terly,  "  the  dog !  for  had  he  been  in  love  with  her  I 
would  have  known  it,  for  I  am  not  a  fool  in  all  things. 
I  would  call  him  out  to  answer  for  this — for  what  is 
my  life  worth  to  me  now  ? — only  it  would  disgust  Rose 
and  brand  me  to  the  world  as  a  fool  who  let  his  friend 
steal  away  the  woman  he  loved  before  his  eyes  and 
took  this  method  of  publishing  his  defeat.  No,  I  will 
not  call  out  the  coward,  but  in  some  way,  unless  I  am 
lacking  in  ability,  I  will  punish  him  for  his  treachery. 
Let  me  consider.  I  have  no  means  of  reaching  Rose 
by  a  letter  at  present,  as  he  took  good  care  to  let  me 
know  she  is  traveling  about.  I  suppose  the  house  is 
closed  ;  but  her  uncle's  place  of  business — no,  I  can 
not  recollect  the  number  and  the  letter  might  go 
astray.  I  wonder  if  I  can  act  the  hypocrite  ?  1  think 
so,  with  a  purpose  in  view.  Suppose  I  write  him 
quietly,  as  though  half-reconciled,  and  drop  a  hint 
that  I  have  heard  Rose  has  no  property  of  her  own, 
expressing  my  surprise  that  he  should  burthen  him 
self  with  a  portionless  wife  in  his  present  circum 
stances  ?  That  might  do,  but  I  ought  to  have 
co-operation  somewhere.  He  could  write  and  ask 
Rose  all  about  her  property,  and  smooth  it  over  so 
she  would  never  suspect  him.  What  a  consummate 
hypocrite  he  is.  Well,  when  one  is  acting  a  lie  I 
suppose  there  is  great  satisfaction  in  knowing  it  is 
large  enough  to  pay  for  the  trouble.  And  if  I  deceive 
him  I  must  never  for  a  moment  forget  I  have  no 
child  to  manage,  but  one  who  is  himself  the  father  of 
lies  !" 

Sol  had  witnessed  the  way  in  which  the  young  imps 
of  the  hall  had  come  to  grief,  or  at  least  met  with  a 
check,  and  he  lost  no  time  in  going  to  Mammy  and 
letting  her  know  he  remembered  her  discomfiture  of 
the  few  days  previous. 

"  Mas'r  Rick  is  in  one  o'  his  tantrums  agin,  Mam 
my,"  he  said,  with  a  mock-serious  air.  "  Hadn't  yer 
better  go  an'  smoove  him  out  like  yer  did  afore?" 

''  Don't  you    go   for  fret  yerself,  you    no-account 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  55 

niggah,  yo'  !"  she  returned  with  asperity.  "  I'se  goin' 
w'en  I  gits  reddy,  an'  dats  moah  nor  you  dar'  do !" 

"High  !•'  chuckled  Sam.  "Now,  Mammy,  look 
heah  !  Ef  you  dar'  go  speak  to  Mas'r  Rick  dis  night 
den  He  eat  de  greaser — I  will  now,  jes'  as  suah  as  yer 
lib  !" 

Mammy  sailed  into  the  house  with  great  dignity, 
and  at  once  took  it  into  her  head  to  look  into  the 
dining-room  closets,  just  to  assure  herself  that  "dat 
shifles'  Sue  hadn't  cluttered  de  dishes  all  up,"  and 
while  satisfying  herself  upon  this  point  she  listened  at 
Rick's  key-hole  for  some  time,  and  found  that  he  was 
sitting  at  the  table  apparently  much  engaged,  though 
quiet.  So  she  just  happened  to  drop  into  the  kitchen 
and  told  Aunt  Mandy,  confidentially,  that  "  Mas'r 
Rick  had  a  headache,"  and  she  must  be  sure  to  make 
the  coffee  strong  and  get  up  a  good  supper.  Later, 
when  all  was  ready,  she  went  and  knocked  at  Rick's 
door,  determined  to  put  on  a  bold  front. 

"  Supper  am  ready,  Mas'r,"  she  said. 

"  All  right,  Mammy,"  he  called,  in  a  quiet  voice 
from  within.  "I'll  be  out,  directly." 

He  did  come  a  few  moments  afterward,  and  Mammy 
would  have  been  sure  that  Sol  had  fooled  her  only  for 
Rick's  face,  which  was  very  white.  He  glanced  toward 
Mammy,  not  unkindly,  as  he  came  out  into  the  hall, 
which  encouraged  her  to  speak  to  him. 

"What  is  it,  Mas'r  Rick?"  she  said;  "what  is  it, 
honey,  as  troubles  yer  so  ?  Kin  I  do  somfin  for  help 
yer  headache  ?" 

"  No,  Mammy,"  he  answered  quietly,  but  decidedly. 
"  I've  had  a  streak  of  hard  luck,  Mammy,"  he  added, 
seeing  her  disappointed  look,  "but  I  guess  I  shall 
pull  through  in  a  few  days."  Then,  an  idea  suddenly 
striking  him,  he  said  :  "  Mammy,  I  want  you  to  see 
that  the  senorita  has  everything  that  is  comfortable 
in  her  room,  now  that  she  takes  her  meals  there. 
You  know  it  wouldn't  be  right  for  me  to  look  after 
her ;  I  am  not  an  old  man  like  poor  father,  so  I  will 
leave  her  in  your  care.  See  that  she  wants  nothing." 


56  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

Dolores  passing  through  the  upper  hall  heard 
Rick's  remarks. 

"  What  a  strange  compound  he  is,"  she  said,  "  of 
bad  temper  and  good  principles." 

Rick  ate  his  supper  in  silence,  but  Mammy  hovered 
near,  casting  triumphant  looks  toward  Sol,  who, 
stationed  on  the  back  veranda,  had  seen  Rick  in 
friendly  conversation  with  her.  When  the  meal  was 
over  Rick  went  to  his  room  and  soon  rang  for  lights. 
Mammy  took  them  in,  and  saw  he  was  searching 
through  bundles  of  old  papers,  while  the  table  was 
strewn  with  letters  and  business  cards.  But  his  pre 
occupied  look  warned  her  not  to  tarry.  Rick 
searched  until  he  found  Mr.  Beale's  business  ad 
dress,  and  then  he  sat  down  and  wrote  two  letters, 
one  to  Alfred  and  another  to  Mrs.  Beale.  Then  he 
lighted  a  cigar  and  sat  down  again,  for  some  mo 
ments  engaged  in  anxious  thought. 

"  I  have  it  !"  he  cried  at  length,  "  if  I  can  carry  it 
out,  and  I  will !" 

He  rang  the  bell  vigorously.  Mammy,  who  truly 
loved  her  young  master  despite  his  varying  moods, 
and  would  have  almost  taken  out  her  eyes  to  serve 
him,  was  near  at  hand  and  she  answered  his 
summons. 

"  Has  the  senorita  retired  ?"  he  asked  quickly. 

"  I  dunno,  Mas'r  Rick,  but  I'll  see." 

"  If  she  has  not  tell  her  I  wish  to  see  her  in  the 
parlor  immediately.  If  she  has,  ask  her  to  come 
down  early  in  the  morning." 

Wondering  a  trifle,  Mammy  obeyed,  and  came 
down  directly  with  word  that  the  senorita  was  about 
to  retire  but  would  be  down  in  a  moment. 

"  Are  there  lights  in  the*  parlor,  Mammy  ?"  he 
asked.  "  If  not,  light  up  directly  ;  and  then,"  he 
continued  in  a  low  tone,  "after  the  senorita  comes 
down  you  go  out  upon  the  lawn  where  you  can  see 
us,  but  not  hear  a  word  of  our  conversation.  You 
watch  sharp  and  don't  allow  a  single  darkey  to  come 
within  earshot  or  I'll  skin  you  alive !" 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  57 

"  Laws,  yes,  Mas'r  Rick,  ole  Mammy  knows,  an' 
she'll  see  yer  aint  disturbed." 

"  Look  here,  Mammy,  you  don't  know — in  fact,  I 
hardly  know  myself;  but  do  as  I  bid  you,  and  don't 
breathe  a  word  of  this  to  a  living  soul !" 

Mammy  nodded,  for  Dolores  was  entering  the  door 
and  she  could  say  no  more. 

"Sit  down,"  Rick  said,  pointing  to  one  of  the  heavy 
old  sofas,  while  he  drew  an  arm-chair  near.  "  Dolores," 
without  any  preface,  "  how  would  you  like  to  marry 
a  young  and  handsome  Virginia  planter  who  is  in 
need  of  a  wife?" 

"  I  don't  understand  you,  senor,"  she  answered. 

"  Do  you  not  understand  plain  English  ?  I  had  no 
idea  from  what  I  had  previously  seen  that  you  were 
given  to  putting  on  airs.  Would  you  like  to  be  a 
young,  handsome  planter's  lawful  wife  ?" 

"I?"  she  said.  "Would  I— like— to  be  a  free— 
white — man's — lawful — wife.  If" 

"  You/" 

She  burst  into  a  fit  of  hysterical  laughter. 

"  I  would  like  to  be  any  man's  lawful  wife ;  any 
man's,  if  he  were  only  free.  I  would  not  care  how 
old  or  ugly  he  might  be  ;  I  would  not  care  how  wicked 
to  me  he  was,  if  I  could  be  lifted  up  out  of  this  bond 
age  !  Up  with  other  women  who  are  no  better  or 
more  beautiful,  only  fortune  has  been  so  kind  to 
them  and  so  cruel  to  me.  What,  I  a  wife,  with  the 
privilege  of  hearing  little  children  call  me  mother, 
and  knowing  they  would  never  be  sold  away  from  me 
into  slavery  of  body  and  soul  ?  Would  I  like  it,  you 
ask  ?  But  you  are  mocking  me  !" 

"  Dolores,  be  quiet !  Hush  !  There,  there,  don't 
become  so  excited  !  The  servants  must  not  know. 
But  I  am  not  mocking  you,  I  am  in  sober  earnest ; 
listen,  and  I  will  tell  you  my  plan." 

With  a  great  effort  she  composed  herself  sufficiently 
to  listen  to  his  words,  but  she  still  trembled  from  head 
to  foot. 

"  I  have  a  college  friend  who  is  looking  for  a  wife 


58  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

with  a  moderate  dowry.  He  owns  a  fine  old  place, 
but  it  is  slightly  involved,  though  he  has  paid  a  por 
tion  of  the  debt.  He  is  anxious  to  marry,  but  cannot 
well  afford  to  wed  a  portionless  bride." 

"  Now  I  know  you  are  simply  playing  with  me,  for 
surely  I  am  as  portionless  as  any  bride  could  well  be. 
But  go  on,  I  can  bear  all  you  choose  to  lay  upon  me." 
And  she  seemed  calm  from  excess  of  passion. 

"  If  you  go  on  interrupting  me  like  this  with  your 
heroics  I  shall  never  be  able  to  tell  you  what  I  pro 
pose.  I  am  going  to  invite  this  friend  to  visit  me  ;  he 
will  probably  come  in  about  two  weeks.  I  would  like 
to  help  him,  and  if  you  consent  I  will  do  it  through 
you.  When  he  comes  he  will  be  introduced  to  you  as 
though  you  were  his  equal.  You  are  Senor  Ambro- 
sio's  daughter;  your  father  and  friends  are  dead, 
consequently  you  dislike  to  live  in  Cuba  and  came 
hither  with  my  father.  I  will  introduce  you  to  him 
in  this  way.  All  you  have  to  do  is  to  play  for  him, 
talk  to  him,  and  wear  your  most  becoming  costumes. 
If  you  need  anything  in  this  line  I  will  provide  you 
with  it.  Now,  I  make  you  this  proposal  :  If  you  win 
him  to  propose  to  and  marry  you  I  will  give  you  your 
freedom  and  a  dowry  of  ten  thousand  dollars.  This 
sum  I  shall  tell  him  in  the  beginning  you  possess, 
having  inherited  it  from  your  father.  What  do  you 
say  ?" 

"I  say  that  I  will  try  my  best  to  win  him,  and  when 
I  consider  for  what  a  stake  I  am  playing  I  feel  sure 
of  success." 

"  Bravely  said  !  And  now,  your  wardrobe  ;  will 
you  need  much,  think  you  ?" 

"  Nothing  at  all,"  she  replied,  partly  for  fear  if  she 
put  him  to  much  trouble  he  might  repent  his  bargain, 
and  partly  because  she  felt  she  had  all  she  really 
needed.  "  My  costumes  are  all  in  the  Spanish  style," 
she  continued,  "  but  that  is  all  the  better,  for  they 
will  be  more  striking  and  carry  out  the  idea  of  my 
nationality.  Then  I  have  several  handsome  jewels 
which  were  my  mother's,  which  are  set  in  the  old 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  59 

Spanish  fashion,  too.  If  I  attempted  the  fashionable 
<iress  worn  here  I  fear  I  might  feel  less  free  and  fail. 
After  all,  mine  do  not  look  strangely,  do  you  think 
so  ?  A  woman  might  fancy  they  did,  but  a  man, 
never.  And  then,  I  would  not  be  expected  to  dress 
otherwise,  do  you  think  I  would  ?" 

"  No,  I  fancy  you  will  appear  more  unstudied  as 
you  are.  So  you  consent  ?  Is  it  a  bargain  ?" 

"  It  is,  and  all  on  one  side.  I  do  not  know  what 
prompted  you  to  this — it  surely  was  not  love  for  me  ; 
but  whatever  may  be  your  reasons,  I  thank  you.  Is 
that  all  ?" 

"  All.  Good  night,  Dolores."  He  rose  while  she 
passed  out  of  the  room.  Mammy,  watching  every 
movement,  was  evidently  disappointed  that  there  was 
no  love-making,  for  she  had  decided  that  her  master 
was  gomg  to  offer  his  hand  to  the  senorita.  She  was 
glad  he  did  not,  for  from  some  cause  Dolores  was 
held  in  small  esteem  by  the  servants  of  Idlefield.  So, 
quite  mystified,  Mammy  came  in  at  Rick's  call  to  put 
out  the  lights  and  fasten  up  the  house. 

Without  a  word  Rick  went  to  his  room,  and  tearing 
up  his  letter  to  Alfred  proceeded  to  write  another. 
Mrs.  Beale's  letter  was  not  rewritten,  for  it  answered 
the  purpose  as  it  stood.  He  had  simply  stated  to  her 
that  he  strongly  suspected  Alfred's  regard  for  Rose 
was  less  than  his  love  for  her  dower,  and  he  begged 
her,  if  possible,  to  find  out  whether  this  were  the  case 
without  arousing  the  suspicions  of  her  neice.  He  in 
formed  her  that  he  had  written  Rose,  asking  for  her 
hand,  and  inclosed  his  letter  in  one  to  Alfred,  and  of 
the  manner  in  which  Alfred  had  disposed  of  it.  In 
conclusion  he  said  : 

"You  may  think  me  revengeful  and  meddlesome,  and  perhaps  I 
am  both,  but  please  understand  me.  It  is  not  with  the  idea  of 
preventing  Miss  Halbert's  marriage  with  Alfred  Hastings  in  order 
that  I  may  woo  her  that  I  write  you,  for  I  have  no  longer  any  hope 
in  that  direction.  If  she  fancies  him  she  does  not  care  for  me. 
But  my  love  for  her  is  such  that  I  would  prevent  her  from  marry 
ing  anyone  with  whom  she  would  be  unhappy,  even  with  myself, 
if  I  thought  it  would  not  bring  her  the  after  peace  and  joy  which 


60  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

she  so  richly  deserves.  I  have  already  ;  i-ucu  to  Alfred,  in  a  letter 
which  I  send  at  the  same  time  I  mail  yours,  that  Miss  Halbert's 
fortune  may  not  be  so  great  as  he  has  been  led  to  suppose,  and  if 
you  could  act  upon  this  plan  it  will  soon  prove  whether  it  is  this 
which  influences  him  or  not." 

To  Alfred  he  wrote  : 

"  I  am  not  yet  sure  that  I  forgive  your  action  in  the  matter,  but 
I  am  not  going  to  quarrel  with  you  about  it.  You  say  if  you  were 
wealthy  you  would  not  marry.  I  do  not  understand  how  you  can 
afford  to  wed  a  portionless  girl  in  that  case,  and  from  what  I  hear, 
Miss  Halbert's  fortune  is  not  so  great  as  is  generally  supposed, 
at  least  scarcely  enough  to  provide  for  her  own  wants.  However, 
every  one  to  his  fancy.  By  the  way,  I  have  thought  since  my 
return  home  that  the  young  lady  I  mentioned  to  you  who  accom 
panied  my  father  home  from  Cuba  would  make  you  a  capital  wife, 
for  she  is  remarkably  beautiful,  accomplished,  and.  though  not  a 
wonderful  neiress,  nas  a  small  tortune  of  $10,000  m  my  hands, 
waiting  to  be  paid  to  her  future  husband,  as  she  is  not  yet  of  age. 
Although  really  lovely  I  have  no  thought  of  falling  in  love  with 
her,  and  as  her  friends  are  all  dead  I  cannot  tell  what  to  do  with 
her.  I  am  terribly  lonely,  and  though  I  cannot  leave  at  present 
I  shall  be  very  glad,  if  you  can  find  time  to  do  so,  to  receive  a  visit 
from  you." 

Rick  read  the  letter  over,  folded,  sealed  and 
directed  it,  and  then  sat  thinking  if  all  was  well  done, 
and  regarding  his  work  with  a  bitter  smile  that  had 
nothing  of  mirth  in  it,  only  a  sort  of  dreary  satisfac 
tion.  Then  he  took  up  the  two  letters  Alfred  had 
written  him,  comparing  them  once  more  before  he 
laid  them  away  carefully  for  future  reference,  and  his 
smile  grew  more  and  more  bitter  ere  he  finished. 

"  Forgive  him  !"  he  muttered,  as  he  read  the  closing 
lines.  "  This,"  and  he  turned  to  the  two  letters  lying 
sealed  and  directed  upon  his  table,  "  is  how  I  forgive 
him." 


CHAPTER    XII. 

THE  WHOLE  TRUTH. 

Mrs.  Beale  had  never  liked  Alfred  Hastings  ;  from 
the  first,  with  a  woman's  intuition,  she  fancied  him 
insincere.  Neither  was  Rose  strongly  impressed  with 
him  at  the  beginning,  but  he  set  himself  to  work  to 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  6l 

win  her  affections,  and  he  was  very  attractive  when 
he  chose  to  be  so  ;  to  this  fact  Rick  was  ready  to 
bear  testimony.  So  Rose  came  to  regard  him  with 
much  favor,  though  after  Rick's  visit  this  wore  off  in 
a  great  degree.  There  is  no  doubt  if  she  had  met 
the  two  young  men  in  her  native  city,  where  each  had 
equal  opportunities,  Alfred  would  have  had  slight 
chance  of  winning  her.  As  it  was,  he  took  constant 
advantage  of  their  relationship  to  show  her  all  man 
ner  of  pretty  and  devoted  attentions.  Rick  felt  that 
he  would  be  considered  overbold  if  he  asked  her  to 
correspond  with  him,  therefore  he  sent  messages  to 
her  through  Alfred.  He  seemed  pleased  with  her 
while  visiting  at  her  uncle's  house,  and  afterward  to 
have  forgotten  her  altogether.  Then,  in  the  most 
insiduous  way,  Alfred  had  a  fashion  of  dropping 
vague,  dark  hints  concerning  Rick's  character,  seem 
ing  at  the  same  time  to  make  an  effort  to  offset  them 
by  recounting  some  of  the  virtues  of  his  friend.  It 
gave  him  the  appearance  of  being  charitable,  yet  it 
never  occurred  to  Rose  that  these  virtues  which  he 
enumerated  were  entirely  obvious  to  all  who  met  him, 
and  would  have  been  accorded  to  Rick  whether 
Alfred  mentioned  them  or  not. 

Rose  was  not  a  flirt,  nor  was  she,  as  a  rule,  unduly 
swayed  by  the  opinions  of  those  about  her.  She  had 
a  mind  of  her  own,  and  usually  showed  wonderful 
sense  in  the  every-day  affairs  of  life.  But  she  had  a 
strong  faith  in  her  friends,  and  was  slow  to  think 
evil  concerning  them.  Notwithstanding  this,  Alfred's 
hints  led  her  to  distrust  Rick,  while  his  extreme  gentle 
ness  in  his  treatment  of  her  quite  won  her  heart.  She 
sighed  to  herself  and  said  it  was  a  pity  all  fascinating 
men  were  unprincipled,  gave  up  thinking  of  Rick 
altogether,  while  upon  the  other  hand  Alfred's  letters 
caused  her  to  feel  a  warm  friendship  for  him. 

Her  visit  finished  the  work.  Alfred  appeared  a 
devoted  son  and  brother,  and  his  real  respect  for  his 
father's  memory  and  endeavor  to  redeem  Riverton 
from  debt  quite  touched  her.  When  Rick  came  she 


62  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

met  him  coldly,  but  was  quite  unconscious  of  the  fact. 
Later  there  was  a  constant  battle  between  her  eyes 
and  ears  ;  her  eyes  saw  nothing  amiss  concerning 
him,  but  her  ears  heard  much.  Her  Aunt  Lucy,  as  she 
called  Mrs.  Hastings,  also  saw  innumerable  faults  in 
Rick,  until  Rose  began  to  think  she  was  wrong  in  her 
judgment,  since  her  aunt  and  Alfred  joined  in  dis 
praising  him.  She  was  touched  by  his  manner  and 
words  the  day  he  received  the  telegram  announcing 
his  father's  illness,  but  after  his  departure  Alfred  ex 
plained  to  her  how  abominably  fickle  he  was,  and  in 
consequence  the  good  impression  wore  away.  At  last 
when  Alfred  asked  her  to  become  his  wife,  in  a  most 
gentle  and  affecting  manner,  she  hesitated  a  trifle, 
but  his  eloquence  soon  won  her  consent.  Soon  after, 
she  returned  home,  but  not  to  travel  with  her  aunt,  as 
Alfred  stated  in  his  letter  to  Rick. 

As  Mrs.  Beale  came  down  to  meet  her  husband 
one  evening  when  he  returned  from  business  he 
placed  a  letter  in  her  hand. 

"  It  came  on  Saturday  after  I  left  the  store,"  he 
said,  "  and  I  would  have  sent  it  up  to  you  this  morn 
ing  only  I  fancied  it  was  not  pressing,  or  it  would 
have  been  directed  to  the  house." 

She  took  it,  admiring  the  bold  chirography,  and  at 
the  same  moment  a  servant  brought  her  a  second 
letter,  which  the  postman  had  just  left.  She  at  once 
perceived  it  was  from  Alfred  Hastings. 

"  I  will  not  read  them  until  after  dinner,"  she  said. 
"  One  is  from  Alfred,  and  I  fancy  both  concern  Rose. 
Do  not  speak  to  her  of  them,  and  when  dinner  is 
over  I  will  retire  and  read  them  quietly." 

Accordingly,  when  the  meal  was  ended  and  Rose 
had  gone  into  the  drawing-room  for  an  hour's  quiet 
practice  upon  the  piano,  Mrs.  Beale  went  up  to  her 
room  and  opened  the  letters  in  the  order  in  which 
they  were  received.  To  say  she  was  astonished 
would  scarcely  express  her  feelings,  yet  Rick's  words 
only  confirmed  her  own  opinion  in  regard  to  Alfred. 
Somehow  she  felt  a  certain  degree  of  admiration  for 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  63 

him,  because  he  chose  to  write  her,  instead  of  wound 
ing  the  feelings  of  Rose  by  addressing  her.  Then 
she  took  Alfred's  letter,  and  when  she  read  it  she 
gave  a  start.  He  had  written  her  privately,  he  said, 
because  he  had  been  informed  that  his  cousin's  for 
tune  was  less  than  had  been  represented,  besides,  she 
was  on  the  abolition  side  of  the  question.  He  would 
not  write  Rose  in  regard  to  it,  but  would  be  obliged 
to  change  his  plans  somewhat  if  it  was  the  case. 

Like  a  sensible  woman,  Mrs.  Beale  called  her  hus 
band  and  laid  the  case  before  him,  and  she  was  glad 
to  find  that  his  judgment  entirely  accorded  with  her 
own. 

"I  would  much  rather  Rose  did  not  marry  a  South 
erner  at  all,"  he  said,  "but  of  the  two  I  greatly  prefer 
young  Gonzales  to  Alfred  Hastings.  Gonzales  is  ex 
tremely  wealthy,  I  have  heard  ;  he  may  be  ultra  in 
politics,  but  there  seems  to  be  more  man  about  him 
than  Alfred  shows.  This  was  my  opinion  before  I 
read  the  letters,  and  now  they  settle  beyond  a  doubt 
that  Alfred  cares  nothing  for  Rose  without  her  money. 
My  dear,  you  may  answer  the  letter  of  Mr.  Gonzales, 
but  I  will  attend  to  Alfred  myself,  with  your  per 
mission." 

"Certainly,"  she  answered,  "only  do  not  write 
harshly.  Let  it  end  politely,  for  I  see  it  has  come  to 
the  point  where  it  must  end.  I  do  not  think,  how 
ever,  it  right  for  you  to  hint  about  breaking  the  en 
gagement,  it  will  not  be  just  to  Rose." 

"But,  my  dear,  if  Rose  read  these  letters  she  would 
dismiss  Alfred  at  once  and  be  spared  the  humiliation 
of  being  cast  off  by  him." 

"True.  But  after  all  I  think  it  best  that  he  should 
break  it.  No  doubt  he  would  be  extremely  glad  to 
have  her  do  so  ;  it  might  save  him  much  unpleasant 
ness.  He  will  feel  some  shame — for  I  trust  he  has 
not  lost  all  sense  of  decency — in  breaking  his  faith 
because  he  believes  her  to  be  poor." 

"  I  believe  you  are  right,  so  I  will  merely  state  to 
him  that  Rose  has  very  little  of  this  world's  goods. 


64  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

that  she  has  less  than  was  reported  at  the  first,  and 
that  some  of  her  father's  investments  turned  out  badly. 
This,  you  know,  is  strictly  true,  but  it  is  not  the  whole 
truth,  as  other  investments  turned  out  better  than  we 
expected.  But  I  think  I  am  justified  in  withholding 
this,  in  order  to  save  Rose  from  a  fortune-hunter. 
One  thing,  however,  you  had  better  do,  see  that  Rose 
does  not  write  Alfred  for  three  or  four  days,  as  she 
might  tell  him  the  whole  truth  and  spoil  all." 

"  She  has  written  him  to-day,  and  will  not,  in  all 
probability,  write  again  within  a  week.  However,  I 
think,  my  dear,  you  might  also  state  to  Alfred,  in 
order  to  make  everything  sure,  that  Rose  is  not  aware 
of  all  the  facts  concerning  her  fortune,  which  is  quite 
true." 

"Very  good  indeed,  little  woman,  an  excellent  idea. 
Give  me  the  materials  and  I  will  answer  him  this 
very  moment." 

A  few  days  later  Mrs.  Beale  sat  in  her  room  en 
gaged  with  some  fanciful  wool  embroidery,  when 
Rose  came  and  tapped  at  her  door. 

"What  is  it?"  her  aunt  asked  as  she  entered,  but 
her  white  face  and  the  open  letter  in  her  hand  ex 
plained  all." 

"I  don't  know,  aunt,"  Rose  answered  ;  "  I  do  not 
understand  it  all." 

"  My  dear  child,  I  understand,  and  perhaps  I  have 
done  wrong,  but  I  did  not  think  he  would  write  you 
until  he  had  answered  your  uncle's  letter.  He  is  in 
hot  haste  it  seems." 

"You  are  speaking  in  riddles,"  said  Rose.  "Aunt 
Sarah,  please  tell  me  all  about  it  at  once." 

"  Do  you  want  the  whole  truth,  Rose  ?"  said  her 
aunt,  leading  the  girl  to  an  easy  chair  and  placing 
her  within  it. 

"  I  do,  indeed." 

"  Then,  my  dear,  if  you  will  allow  me  to  read  this 
letter  I  will  be  able  to  do  so." 

Rose  gave  it  up  eagerly  and  watched  her  aunt's 
face  while  she  read.  After  the  usual  introduction, 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  65 

Alfred — for  the  letter  was  from  him — plunged  at  once 
into  business.     He  wrote — 

' '  I  have  learned  that  your  fortune  amounts  to  little  or  nothing. 
Now,  my  dear  Rose,  I  am,  as  you  know,  a  comparatively  poor 
man.  I  have  Riverton  upon  my  hands,  heavily  mortgaged,  and 
from  this  encumbered  estate  I  must  pay  life  annuities  to  my 
mother  and  sister  ;  consequently  I  shall  be  unable  to  support  a 
wife  in  the  style  I  desire.  If  I  were  marrying  a  lady  who  had 
means  of  her  own,  sufficient  for  her  own  needs,  I  should  be  content 
to  struggle  on,  but  I  cannot  drag  you  down  to  poverty  with  me.  I 
regret,  I  deeply  regret,  being  obliged  to  tell  you  this,  and  my  heart 
is  heavy  with  the  thought  that,  dearly  and  devotedly  as  I  love  you, 
it  is  my  duty  to  give  you  up.  The  blow  will  fall  lightly  upon  you, 
but  to  me  it  is  a  crushing  one.  I  find  that  my  friend  Rick  Gon- 
zales  is  in  love  with  you  himself,  and  I  think  he  is  anxious  to  make 
you  his  wife.  Indeed  he  feels  rather  hard  toward  me,  because  he 
fancies  I  have  prejudiced  you  against  him.  I  am  about  to  pay  him 
a  visit  in  order  to  obtain  his  pardon  for  any  wrong  I  have  done 
him,  so  when  you  answer  this  please  direct  to  me  at  his  post-office, 
vrhich  is  Milton,  as  I  presume  you  know." 

"  Now,  my  dear,"  said  Mrs.  Beale,  "you  have  had 
a  very  narrow  escape,  for  Alfred  has  been  looking 
out  for  a  wife  whose  money  would  pay  off  the  debt 
on  Riverton  and  leave  something  besides.  He  has 
gone  about  carrying  out  his  plan  of  winning  you  for 
this  purpose  in  a  cold-blooded  manner,  and  has  prac 
ticed  deceit  wherever  he  fancied  it  necessary  to 
further  his  desire.  Mr.  Gonzales  was,  as  he  says,  in 
love  with  you — I  am  sure  Alfred  never  was — and  he 
was  kept  so  much  in  the  dark  concerning  Alfred's  in 
tentions  toward  you  that  he  even  wrote  you  a  pro 
posal  of  marriage  immediately  after  his  father's 
death,  and  enclosed  it  in  a  letter  to  Alfred.  Of 
course  you  never  received  it,  and  when  Alfred  made 
sure  of  you,  but  not  until  then,  he  returned  the  love- 
letter  unopened  to  his  friend,  telling  him  you  were  his 
promised  wife.  Naturally  this  raised  the  anger  of 
Mr.  Gonzales,  and  from  certain  hints  Alfred  dropped 
he  was  certain  you  had  been  sought  for  your  money 
only.  He  dropped  a  hint  to  Alfred  that  you  were  not 
so  wealthy  as  represented,  and  by  the  same  mail  wrote 
me  what  he  had  done.  His  letter  was  delayed  at  the 


66  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

store  two  days,  and  the  same  evening  I  received  it 
one  came  from  Alfred  also,  asking  to  tell  him  if  you 
were  as  rich  as  he  had  supposed.  I  laid  the  letters 
before  your  uncle  and  he  answered  Alfred  saying  that 
you  were  not,  on  account  of  some  losses  where  your 
money  had  been  badly  invested.  For  answer  he 
writes  you,  breaking  the  engagement,  or,  rather,  tell 
ing  you  that  you  must  do  so. 

"  I  see,"  Rose  said.  "  And  now  he  is  going  to 
Idlefield  to  try  by  further  deceit  to  make  friends  again 
with  Mr.  Gonzales.  Do  you  know  why  ?  I  accidently 
discovered  that  his  friend  Rick  is  in  the  habit  not 
only  of  loaning  him  but  giving  him  generous  sums 
of  money.  And  this  is  one  of  those  noble  South 
erners  we  hear  so  much  about.  This  man  has  the 
entire  control  of  at  least  a  hundred  slaves.  Aunt 
Sarah,  don't  fear  that  I  shall  pine  over  his  loss.  I 
feel  relieved,  oh  !  so  greatly  relieved,  even  now.  I 
believe  there  is  something  in  the  man's  magnetic  in 
fluence,  and  that  he  won  my  consent  half  against  my 
will.  I  hope  I  may  never  meet  him  again.  I  will 
bundle  his  letters  and  the  trifling  presents  he  has 
given  me  together,  and  then  I  think  I'll  ask  uncle  to 
send  them  to  Riverton,  and  to  write  him  at  the  same 
time  a  note  to  Idlefield.  I  hope  he  will  not  spare 
him,  but  call  him  a  fortune-hunter  in  plain  terms. 
But  I  don't  wish  him  to  be  undeceived  about  my 
property  as  yet.  I  am  afraid  he  will  say  it  is  a  joke 
and  attempt  to  smooth  it  over,  and,  what  is  worse, 
succeed,  for  you  cannot  tell  how  he  bends  everything 
to  his  will.  Mr.  Gonzales  is,  I  am  told,  very  passion 
ate  at  times,  yet  Alfred  will  wind  him  about  his 
finger  with  perfect  ease.  Why,  I  have  no  doubt  but 
Rick  will  receive  Alfred  in  a  friendly  way  because  he 
has  the  effrontery  to  come  to  his  house,  and  before  he 
leaves  Idlefield  they  will  be  as  intimate  as  ever.  Al 
fred  will  fawn  around  him,  and  yet  not  appear  too 
servile,  and  will  win  him  back  in  spite  of  himself." 

"  No  doubt  you  are  right,  my  dear.  And  yet  I 
fancy  if  Mr.  Gonzales  is  once  thoroughly  roused  he 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  67 

will  be  a  match  for  Alfred.  I  cannot  help  thinking 
if  he  seems  to  overlook  this  offence  it  will  only  be  to 
draw  him  into  a  trap.  One  little  paragraph  in  the 
letter  Rick  Gonzales  wrote  me  convinces  me  of  that. 
He  acknowledged  that  he  felt  revengeful  ;  and,  Rose, 
though  I  liked  Rick  from  the  first,  though  I  think  his 
principles  are  good  in  the  main,  and  that  he  does  not 
as  a  rule  stoop  to  deceit,  I  would  not  like  to  provoke 
his  revenge." 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

GREEK    MEETS    GREEK. 

According  to  appointment,  early  in  October  Rick 
was  waiting  at  the  depot  to  meet  Alfred.  Rick  had 
been  schooling  himself  to  appear  as  usual,  but  it  was 
a  hard  task,  and  he  strode  up  and  down  the  platform 
in  a  fierce  mood,  puffing  the  smoke  from  his  cigar. 
At  length  the  whistle  sounded,  and  tossing  aside  his 
cigar  he  waited  with  forced  calmness  the  approach  of 
the  train.  Alfred's  head  was  at  the  window,  his  face 
wreathed  in  smiles.  Rick  advanced  to  receive  him, 
uttering  quiet  and  undemonstrative  words  of  welcome  ; 
but  try  as  he  would,  he  felt  there  was  something 
lacking — while  his  lips  spoke  hospitable  words  his 
soul  shrank  back.  Alfred  was  quick  to  observe  this. 

He  had  expected  to  win  Rick's  everlasting  enmity 
by  his  former  conduct,  but  Rick's  letter  disarmed 
him  almost  altogether.  Now  he  began  to  suspect 
that  all  was  not  right ;  perhaps  Rick  had  invited  him 
for  the  purpose  of  paying  him  back  in  his  own  coin, 
and  after  inducing  him  to  offer  himself  to  Sefiorita 
Ambrosio  might  inform  him  that  she  was  already  en 
gaged. 

"I  must  be  wary,"  he  said,  "for  I  see  that  Rick  has 
not  forgiven  me,  and  he  is  trying  to  disguise  it." 
Then  aloud,  he  added,  "  You  are  looking  pale  my  boy, 
what  is  the  matter  ?" 

"My  path  has  not  been  strewn  with  roses  of  late," 


68  SUBDUED   SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

Rick  answered.  "  I  have  been  passing  through  deep 
waters  and  may  show  it  somewhat." 

"Nonsense!"  returned  Alfred  carelessly.  "The 
waters  are  not  so  deep  as  you  suppose.  Rose  is  free 
for  you  to  win  if  you  choose,  and,  to  be  candid,  I 
believe  she  cares  more  for  you  than  forme,  but  I  mis 
led  her  a  trifle  and  confused  her.  As  to  your  father, 
he  was  feeble  and  old,  and  must  have  been  of  slight 
comfort  to  you  had  he  lived." 

"  He  would  have  been  of  the  greatest  comfort  to 
me,"  said  Rick  very  decidedly.  "But,"  more  cheer 
fully,  "  I  think  the  old  house  will  seem  brighter  to  me 
now  you  are  here.  It  has  been  very  lonesome  for  the 
senorita.  We  care  little  for  each  other's  society,  and 
are  both  grieving  for  my  father." 

"  Rick,  tell  me  how  the  land  lies.  Are  you  not  fool 
ing  me  in  regard  to  the  senorita?  Honor  bright, 
now.  Is  she  so  handsome  as  you  have  represented  ? 
Is  she  really  wealthy  ?" 

"  Honor  bright,"  Rick  answered.  "  She  is  beautiful, 
she  is  young,  she  is  accomplished,  speaking  Spanish 
and  English  with  almost  equal  fluency,  and  playing 
upon  the  piano  in  the  most  wonderful  way  I  ever 
heard.  As  to  her  wealth,  it  is  not  great ;  it  simply  con 
sists  of  the  sum  of  $10,000,  which,  however,  is  in  cash, 
and  I  have  it  in  charge  for  her  since  the  death  of  my 
father.  She  has  not  been  in  the  States  many  months, 
and  dresses  chiefly  in  Spanish  style  ;  she  has  nothing 
wonderful  in  the  way  of  a  wardrobe,  I  imagine,  but 
she  has  some  rare  old  jewels  that  were  her  mother's, 
and  in  case  she  happens  to  fall  in  love  with  you 
enough  to  marry  you  I  shall  furnish  her  with  a 
trousseau.  Her  father  was  my  father's  friend.  He  was 
from  one  of  the  best  Cuban  families  ;  indeed,  I  be 
lieve  his  father  was  possessed  of  a  title,  which  a 
brother  inherited.  Be  this  as  it  may,  the  sefior  was  at 
one  time  wealthy  and  lived  in  excellent  style  to  the 
last.  Senorita  Dolores  was  educated  carefully  at 
home,  and  was  perfectly  happy,  as  she  expresses  her 
self,  until  the  death  of  her  mother.  Then  her  father 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  69 

was  ill  for  a  long  time,  during  which  illness  she 
nursed  him  carefully.  My  father  was  his  guest  when 
he  died.  He  also  had  been  so  fortunate  as  to  be 
nursed  to  health  by  the  senorita,  and  when  Setter 
Ambrosio  was  upon  his  dying  bed  he  committed  his 
daughter  to  father's  care.  She  was  alone  in  the 
world,  being  his  only  daughter.  Having  been  educated 
at  home  and  afterward  confined  by  her  parent's  ill 
ness  she  had  no  associates.  She  knows  nothing  of 
society,  is  innocent  of  all  ideas  of  flirtation,  yet  she 
carries  herself  like  a  queen." 

"  See  here,  Rick,"  said  Alfred,  looking  him  squarely 
in  the  face,  "  Why  are  you  anxious  that  I  should 
marry  the  senorita  ?" 

Rick  winced,  but  turning  his  attention  to  his  horse 
a  moment  gained  time  for  his  answer. 

"  Anxious  for   you   to    marry  her  ?"    he    repeated 
slowly.     "  Do  I  seem  so  ?" 
"  You  do,  certainly." 
"  Perhaps  I  am,"  said  Rick,  musingly. 
"  You  have  not  forgiven  me  for  acting,  as  you  think, 
unfairly  with  you,"  said  Alfred. 
"  No,  I  have  not." 

"  Then  why  should  you  seek  to  do  me  a  favor  on 
the  heels  of  this  unfair  action  ?" 

"  I  am  not  seeking  to  do  you  a  favor,"  Rick  replied. 
"  Naturally — whether  I  succeed  in  winning  Rose  or 
not — I  don't  care  to  see  her  your  wife.  In  regard  to 
Dolores,  if  I  am  anxious  for  her  to  marry  it  is  to  re 
lieve  myself  of  a  burthen,  as  she  is  simply  in  my  way. 
How  can  a  young  man  take  care  of  a  young  and 
beautiful  lady,  bound  to  him  by  no  tie  of  blood,  and 
whom  he  does  not  wish  to  marry  ?  She  herself  feels 
it  and  has  taken  her  meals  in  her  room  ever  since  my 
father's  death.  She  has  no  friends  or  I  would  send 
her  to  them  ;  she  cannot  take  care  of  herself,  for  she 
knows  nothing  of  the  world.  I  do  not  want  her 
money,  and  the  thought  struck  me,  when  I  found 
how  matters  were,  that  her  little  fortune  was  enough 
to  induce  you  to  marry  her,  as  it  would  pay  your 


7O  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

debts  and  leave  you  in  comparatively  comfortable 
circumstances.  At  the  same  time  it  relieves  me  of  a 
burthen  and  gets  you  out  of  my"  way  in  case  I  chance 
to  fall  in  love  with  another  young  lady." 

•"  Enough  ;  I  understand  you  and  am  satisfied. 
The  sum  of  money  which  she  possesses  is  not  large, 
but  it  has  the  merit  of  being  in  ready  cash,  which  is 
better  than  twice  the  amount  tied  up  in  some  unavail 
able  way.  But  perhaps  she  will  not  fancy  me  at  all." 

"  Perhaps  she  may  not,  for  she  appears  to  have  in 
dependent  ideas  of  her  own.  She  certainly  has  never 
cared  for  me  in  the  slightest  degree,  though  I  have 
not  made  any  attempt  to  win  her  favor." 

"  Your  motive  in  bringing  me  here  was  not  for  love 
of  me,  then  ?" 

"  It  was  not  for  love  of  you.  But  the  girl  is  noth 
ing  to  me  ;  only  for  her  tender  care  of  my  father  I 
should  not  feel  bound  to  look  after  her.  As  it  is,  you 
will  make  her  a  respectable  husband  ;  you  will  not 
beat  her  or  misuse  her,  except,  perhaps,  you  will  de 
ceive  her  whenever  it  answers  your  purpose  to  do  so. 
Still  if  she  does  not  discover  it  it  will  never  harm  her, 
I  suppose.  However,  do  not  be  deceived  in  thinking 
me  too  anxious  for  you  to  marry  her.  There  are  men 
and  men  in  the  world,  and  the  sefiorita  is  fair.  She 
has  never  gone  out  in  society  or  she  would  have  been 
a  great  belle,  I  am  sure." 

For  a  time  they  rode  on  in  silence.  Alfred  felt  that 
if  Rick  really  meant  to  deal  fairly  with  him  (and  after 
hearing  his  explanation  it  seemed  probable  that  he 
did)  he  must  manage  his  own  cards  carefully,  for  if 
Rick  took  the  fancy,  even  at  the  last  moment,  that 
Alfred  would  not  be  kind  to  the  senorita  he  would  be 
likely  to  break  up  the  match  ;  so  Alfred  decided  that 
it  was  best  to  win  the  senorita's  affections  at  once,  if 
possible.  He  half  expected  after  all  to  find  some 
absurd-looking  weazened  old  maid,  for,  although 
almost  persuaded  that  Rick  was  dealing  fairly,  an 
occasional  doubt  would  rise  in  his  mind. 

"Of  course,"  he  said  aloud,  "I  would  never  ask  her 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  7  I 

to  marry  me  unless  I  loved  her  and  felt  that  my  affec 
tion  was  returned." 

"No  heroics,"  Rick  said,  rather  sharply.  "You 
came  upon  business,  Alfred  ;  for  no  other  reason  than 
to  win  the  senorita's  hand  for  the  sake  of  her  money. 
If  she  is  positively  disagreeable  to  you  you  will  not 
marry  her  ;  otherwise,  if  you  can  win  her,  you  will. 
It  will  not  take  long  to  decide.  Did  you  not  a  mo 
ment  ago  declare  yourself  ready  to  marry  a  woman 
you  believed  loved  me  better  than  yourself  ?  I  know 
you  thoroughly  now,  so  please  don't  put  on  your  mask 
for  my  benefit,  it  makes  me  sick.  As  long  as  it  is 
agreeable  for  you  to  remain  at  Idlefield  you  are  wel 
come  to  stay,  have  no  fear  of  that  ;  only  be  good 
enough  not  to  lie  to  me  more  than  you  can  help.  I 
shall  not  interfere  with  your  wooing  if  all  is  right  and 
square.  But  remember,  no  tricks." 

With  all  the  years  Alfred  had  spent  in  playing 
satellite  to  Rick  he  had  not  learned  the  art  to  such 
perfection  that  these  words  did  not  gall  him.  He 
looked  crestfallen  for  a  moment,  and  then,  as  usual, 
reasoned  himself  out  of  the  feeling. 

"What  need  I  care,"  he  thought,  "so  long  as  this 
visit  serves  my  purpose  ?  I  have  lost  Rick,  that  is 
certain  ;  I  even  believe  he  is  beginning  to  repent 
having  hinted  to  me  anything  about  the  seiiorita,  and 
inviting  me  here.  Well,  there  is  all  the  more  need  of 
my  winning  the  lady  in  question,  or  I  shall  be  left 
without  money  or  available  friends  altogether.  With 
Rose  and  Rick  both  lost  it  becomes  me  to  look 
sharply  to  my  own  interest  in  other  directions." 

By  this  time  they  had  reached  the  house,  and  toss 
ing  the  reins  to  a  waiting  servant,  Rick  sprang  out, 
Alfred  following  him.  They  walked  up  the  avenue 
of  trees,  and  when  they  reached  the  steps  Rick 
turned  toward  him,  a  peculiar  smile  upon  his  hand 
some  face. 

"Welcome  to  Idlefield!"  he  said,  and  as  Dolores 
was  not  in  sight  Alfred  was  shown  to  his  room,  which 
was  situated  in  the  wing,  glad,  if  the  truth  were  told. 


7-2  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

to  have  an  opportunity  of  washing  away  some  of  the 
dust  of  travel  before  being  presented  to  the  lady  he 
was  to  win  as  his  future  wife. 


CHAPTER     XIV. 

THE    WOOING. 

As  Alfred  proceeded  with  his  toilet,  using  the 
greatest  care — for  he  was  inclined  to  be  foppish  con 
cerning  his  dress — the  notes  of  a  piano  came  softly  to 
his  ear.  At  first  they  were  low,  and  though  evidently 
harmonious,  were  partially  indistinct  ;  so  he  set  his 
door  slightly  ajar  to  listen.  The  melody  grew  stronger, 
seeming  to  fill  the  house  ;  it  was  rarely  beautiful — it 
was  soul-stirring  and  grand. 

"  Does  she  play  like  this  ?"  he  thought.  "  Why  she 
must  be  almost  divine.  Perhaps  the  half  has  not  been 
told  me.  That  accomplishment  alone  would  make 
her  noted  the  country  round  once  she  is  my  wife." 
And  then  he  hastened  to  complete  his  toilet,  joining 
Rick  upon  the  veranda. 

Rick  would  have  spoken,  but  Alfred  advanced,  his 
finger  upon  his  lip,  and  took  his  seat  silently  where  he 
could  observe  the  player.  Dolores  sat  at  the  piano, 
and  from  Alfred's  position  he  could  see  only  a  portion 
of  her  profile,  as  her  back  was  almost  directly  toward 
him.  He  saw  a  well-shaped  head  crowned  with 
braids  of  jet-black  hair,  a  pale  complexion,  a  small, 
graceful  ear,  a  softly  rounded  cheek  faintly  flushed 
with  red — a  perfect  form,  with  neck  and  arms  ex 
posed,  as  was  then  the  custom.  As  she  moved  her 
fingers  over  the  keys  he  saw  they  were  sparkling  with 
gems,  and  upon  her  wrist  was  coiled  a  curious  brace 
let,  like  a  band  of  gold  ribbon  brocaded  with  gems, 
and  wound  three  times  about  her  arm.  There  were 
jewels  in  her  ears  and  a  chain  about  her  neck  ;  her 
dress  was  black,  the  only  relief  being  the  jewelry  she 
wore.  For  some  moments  she  played  on,  while  Alfred 
watched  her  in  silence.  Then  he  turned  to  his  com- 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  73 

panion,  who  did  not  let  a  movement  of  Alfred's  escape 
him,  though  he  appeared  to  be  looking  out  at  the 
fields  far  away. 

"  Rick,"  Alfred  said  suddenly,  "  you  are  fooling 
me  !  You  will  never  allow  me  to  win  so  much  beauty 
and  talent ;  you  are  only  showing  her  to  me  that  I 
may  learn  to  love  her,  and  then  you  will  coolly  in 
form  me  that  you  are  engaged  to  her  yourself.  What 
is  Rose  when  compared  to  this  superb  creature  ?" 

"What,  indeed  !"  thought  Rick,  as  he  rose  and 
motioned  Alfred  a  little  further  away.  "  Have  you 
ever  detected  me  in  a  lie  ?"  he  asked. 

"No,"  Alfred  returned  more  quietly. 

"  Then  believe  me  in  this,  and  here  is  my  hand 
upon,  it,  I  have  no  intention  of  thwarting  your  desire 
to  marry  Dolores.  I  invited  you  to  see  her,  you  have 
come.  I  shall  not  throw  her  into  your  arms  ;  there 
will  be  no  force  or  undue  persuasion  used  on  either 
side,  except  you  choose  to  resort  to  them  upon  your 
own  behalf ;  but  if  you  can  win  her  she  is  yours  with 
my  consent," 

"I  am  convinced,"  Alfred  returned;  "and  now, 
as  the  music  has  ceased,  will  you  present  me  ?"  . 

Rick  led  the  way  into  the  parlor.  Dolores  had 
risen  from  the  piano  at  the  sound  of  voices,  and 
stood,  slightly  resting  one  hand  upon  it,  trying  to 
quell  the  tumultuous  throbbings  of  her  heart.  To 
day  she  was  to  enter  upon  a  new  era  in  her  life.  If 
successful  in  winning  this  man  who  was  approaching, 
henceforth  she  was  to  be  lifted  above  the  bondage 
which,  so  far,  had  fettered  herself,  her  mother  and 
her  grandmothers  before  her,  and  rise  to  the  level  of 
her  father's  race  and  that  of  her  grandfather  and 
great  grandfather.  Would  she  succeed  ?  Would 
no  one  betray  her?  And  then  Rick  presented  his 
friend  Alfred  Hastings  to  Senorita  Dolores  Am- 
brosio,  and  with  one  swift  glance  the  blood  rushed 
to  her  face.  Then  she  bowed  and,  as  though  an 
afterthought,  gave  him  her  hand,  murmuring  inad 
vertently  a  greeting  in  Spanish. 


74  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

At  this  Rick  laughed.  "  Whenever  she  is  confused 
or  embarrassed,"  he  said,  "  the  sefiorita  falls  back 
upon  her  mother  tongue." 

She  begged  pardon,  which  was  readily  granted, 
Alfred  making  a  gallant  remark  to  the  effect  that  any 
language  fell  musically  from  such  fair  lips,  and  as  she 
still  stood  he  brought  a  chair  for  her. 

"I  suppose,"  she  said  to  Rick,  "Mr.  Hastings 
would  like  some  refreshment  after  his  long  journey. 
Have  you  given  orders,  Mr.  Gonzales?" 

"Not  since  my  return,  but  I  will  at  once  do  so." 
And  then  Mammy  herself  came  to  say  that  dinner 
was  waiting. 

Dolores  took  the  head  of  the  table,  as  though  ac 
customed  to  the  seat ;  she  had  been,  indeed,  during 
the  time  of  her  stay  at  Idlefield  previous  to  the  death 
of  Colonel  Gonzales.  Alfred  watched  her,  in  reality 
more  entranced  with  her  beauty  than  he  had  ever 
been  with  the  loveliness  of  any  other  woman.  She 
conversed  but  little,  but  her  manner  was  affable,  soft 
and  gentle,  and  the  words  she  did  speak  were  re 
fined  and  to  the  point.  He  was  able  to  examine 
her  jewels  more  closely  now,  and  he  perceived  that 
her  bracelet  was  very  curious  and  of  rare  workman 
ship,  set  with  rubies  and  diamonds.  The  chain  at 
her  neck  was  in  reality  a  necklace  of  smooth,  closely- 
woven  links,  which  broadened  toward  the  front,  from 
which  was  suspended  a  cross,  also  set  with  rubies  and 
diamonds.  Her  ear-rings  matched  the  set,  which  was 
rather  heavy  for  a  young  girl's  wearing,  but  this  fault 
Alfred  could  readily  excuse  since  they  would  become 
her  as  a  wife. 

They  lingered  some  time  at  the  table,  when  they 
rose.  Alfred  suggested  a  stroll  through  the  lawn. 
Accordingly  Dolores  dispatched  a  servant  for  her 
mantilla,  and  when  it  was  brought  she  threw  it  over 
her  head  gracefully,  fastening  it  with  a  small  pearl 
pin,  and  went  out.  Rick  excused  himself,  saying  he 
had  some  business  with  his  overseer,  which  was  true, 
though  it  took  but  a  moment  to  settle  it,  and  then  he 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  75 

strode  away  as  though  bent  upon  an  exploring  ex 
pedition. 

Meanwhile  Dolores  and  Alfred  were  rambling 
through  the  grounds  under  the  lengthened  cotton- 
wood  shadows.  The  sun  was  at  its  setting,  and  there 
were  light  floating  clouds  in  the  air,  which  were 
changing  fast  from  rose  to  crimson,  shedding  a  rosy 
light  around.  Dolores  watched  the  clouds  wistfully. 
Could  it  be  that  her  life  henceforth  was  to  be  couleur 
de  rose,  or  was  it  to  be  tinged  with  that  more  ominous 
shade  which  was  creeping  into  the  clouds  slowly — the 
color  of  blood  ?  Then  Alfred  stooped  and  plucked 
two  asters  which  were  blooming  in  one  of  the  garden 
beds.  One  flower  was  a  rosy  crimson,  the  other  a 
bright  yellow. 

"The  Spanish  colors,"  he  said,  "or  as  nearly  as  I 
can  find  them,  for  the  red  may  be  a  little  dull.  You 
seem  sad,  senorita  ;  are  you  longing  for  your  old 
home  ?" 

"  My  old  home  !"  she  repeated  slowly,  as  she  took 
the  flowers  he  offered  and  fastened  them  in  the  pin 
which  held  her  mantilla  together.  "  Indeed,  no.  It 
is  true  that  I  am  lonely  here,  but  I  should  die  in  Cuba, 
for  my  parents  being  dead  I  have  not  one  friend  left 
there.  Even  my  old  home,  which  business  men  had 
long  looked  upon  with  longing  eyes,  for  it  was  so  near 
the  business  quarter  of  the  town,  has  been  changed 
into  a  large  market.  It  seems  like  desecration.  Ah, 
no,  I  could  never  go  back ;  it  would  kill  me.  While 
my  mother  lived  she  was  everything  to  my  father — • 
she  was  everything  to  me.  When  she  died  padre  and 
I  were  all  in  all  to  each  other.  Then  I  loved  Colonel 
Gonzales  ;  even  though  old  and  ill  he  was  like  a 
father  to  me.  And  now  I  am  lonely  indeed." 

"  Poor  child,"  he  said  softly.  "  It  is  no  wonder  you 
are  lonely.  Do  you  often  play  as  you  did  to-day  ?" 

"  Often,  for  it  seems  my  only  comfort.  I  like  this 
country,  what  I  have  seen  of  't  I  think  I  could  make 
it  my  happy  home,  but  I  have  not  ons  '»oman  friend 
in  it.  Sometimes  I  feel  it  was  wrong  foi  r^v  father 


76  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

to  keep  me  in  seclusion  as  he  did,  for  I  know  nothing 
of  the  world  or  society.  Mr.  Rick  Gonzales  has  been 
very  kind  to  me.  I  complain  of  nothing,  but  I  feel 
that  I  am  in  his  way,  and  he  does  not  know  how  to 
dispose  of  me.  If  I  knew  something  of  the  world 
perhaps  I  might  go  away  somewhere  and  grapple  with 
it,  but  I  have  been  in  leading  strings  all  my  life  and 
now  miss  them." 

"  You  were  not  made  for  the  rough  storms  of  life," 
Alfred  said,  gently  ;  "you  need  a  protector  !" 

Then  they  drifted  away  into  other  conversation, 
and  Alfred  found  that  although  Dolores  was  conver 
sant  with  Spanish  literature  she  had  read  little  in 
English.  Still  she  was  by  no  means  ignorant.  Her 
intercourse  with  Colonel  Gonzales,  who  was  a  well- 
read  man,  had  been  of  great  advantage  to  her,  and 
for  the  past  few  days  she  had  been  reading  under 
Rick's  tutorship,  or,  rather,  advisement.  She  took 
kindly  to  novels  and  poetry,  and  what  she  knew  she 
was  able  to  speak  of  with  effect. 

"I  am  not  learned,"  she  frankly  said.  "Cuban 
ladies  are  content  with  less  knowledge  than  Ameri 
cans,  and  I  was  not  drilled  in  many  things.  I  only 
learned  English,  music,  and  for  the  rest  rudimental 
branches  chiefly.  But  I  love  reading  in  Spanish  ;  I  am 
growing  to  like  it  in  English,  and  since  the  death  of 
Colonel  Gonzales,  or  after  my  recovery  from  the  first 
shock,  I  have  spent  my  time  in  reading  and  playing." 

"You  are  not  ignorant,"  Alfred  answered;  "you  are 
learned  in  graceful  accomplishment  and  in  all  things 
womanly  and  sweet.  But  I  would  like  to  enter  into  a 
compact  with  you  ;  while  I  am  here  let  us  improve  our 
time.  You  shall  teach  me  Spanish,  of  which  I  am 
almost  wholly  ignorant,  and  I  will  read  aloud  to  you 
from  English  authors  in  return." 

"Thanks  !"  she  cried,  delighted  with  the  proposal. 
''  I  have  some  Spanish  books,  and  we  will  begin  to 
morrow  if  you  choose." 

"  1  shall  be  only  too  happy,"  he  said,  smiling ;  and 
then  seeing  Rick  upon  the  veranda,  he  suddenly  be- 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  77 

thought  himself  that  the  dew  was  falling  and  he  was 
anxious  to  hear  some  music. 

So  the  two  gentlemen  sat  and  smoked  while  they 
listened,  and  Dolores  played — or  so  Rick  fancied — as 
she  had  never  done  before.  The  music  was  less  sad 
than  usual,  though  at  times  it  drifted  into  a  solemn 
channel  ;  but  it  rose  again,  glad  and  triumphant,  and 
while  Alfred  thought  only  of  her  wonderful  power 
over  the  keys,  Rick  knew  her  mind  was  dreaming  of 
her  future,  and  her  spirit  was  hopeful  or  despondent 
as  the  music  rose  or  fell. 

Upon  the  following  morning  the  lessons  began. 
The  senorita  appeared  in  white,  with  little  jewelry 
and  many  flowers  ;  she  was  very  charming,  and  gave 
the  Spanish  lesson  in  a  vivacious,  sparkling  manner. 
Then  Alfred  took  up  his  task  of  teaching,  which  was 
a  delightful  one.  He  read  poetry,  first  from  one  book 
and  then  another,  impressing  the  name  of  the  author 
upon  her  mind,  and  choosing  for  his  subject  in  almost 
every  instance  the  theme  of  love,  rendering  it  effec 
tively  in  his  clear,  well-modulated  voice,  emphasizing 
it  with  soft  glances  from  his  eyes,  with  tender  smiles 
and  low  inflexions.  What  wonder  Dolores  was 
charmed  !  Henceforth  she  had  no  part  to  act  ;  for 
the  first  time  in  her  life  she  was  in  love.  She  was 
quite  in  another  world,  the  world  she  had  looked  upon 
from  a  distance  with  longing  eyes  heretofore.  She 
could  scarcely  realize  that  she  was  not  dreaming,  but 
as  day  after  day  passed  and  Alfred  grew  more  and 
more  devoted,  she  began  to  feel  secure  in  her  position 
and  daily  to  fear  less  and  less  that  she  should  be  un 
able  to  fill  it  properly. 

Rick  was  never  far  away,  and  while  his  constant 
presence  would  have  been  a  restraint,  there  was  some 
thing  in  this  hovering  about  at  a  little  distance  which 
gave  her  support.  She  was  beginning  to  like  him 
better  ;  she  had  respected  him  for  some  time,  while 
he,  after  watching  her  playfulness,  her  vivacity,  and 
the  power  she  exerted  over  Alfred,  began  to  feel 
something  of  the  deference  for  her  he  always  ac- 


78  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

corded  to  women  who  were  born  upon  equal  ground! 
with  him.  And  it  came  to  influence  him  seriously,, 
first  unconsciously,  and  then  too  strongly  to  be  un 
noticed,  regarding  the  effects  of  slavery.  This  girl, 
born  in  bondage,  carried  herself  with  all  the  dignity 
and  grace  of  a  queen,  and  he  was  glad  in  his  heart 
that  she  loved  Alfred,  as  it  would  make  her  life  with 
him  so  much  happier. 

As  for  Alfred  he  congratulated  himself  constantly 
that  fortune  had  thrown  such  a  prize  within  his  grasp. 
How  tame  his  cousin  Rose  seemed  in  comparison. 
And  it  appeared  incredible  that  Rick  should  pass  her 
by  and  fall  in  love  with  Rose,  for  now  Alfred  was- 
sure  Rick  had  no  intention  of  playing  him  false,  since 
there  was  no  feeling  of  love  between  him  and 
Dolores,  and  her  affection  for  Alfred,  though  modest,, 
was  apparent.  He  had  few  doubts  concerning  her 
acceptance  of  his  hand,  but  he  strove  by  every  pos 
sible  act  to  prove  his  devotion,  lest  she  might  fear  to 
place  herself  under  his  protection  for  life.  Dolores 
was  a  Catholic,  and  though  he  did  not  consider  this 
a  drawback,  he  set  about  winning  her  over  to  his  own- 
belief,  for  Alfred  was  a  member  of  the  Episcopal 
church.  He  excited  her  interest,  and  as  she  believed 
in  him  fully,  he  found  her  an  easy  convert,  though  she 
gave  up  with  reluctance  her  prayers  to  the  Virgin. 

At  last,  when  he  had  been  at  Idlefield  for  nearly  a 
month,  and  feeling  that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to- 
absent  himself  from  Riverton  much  longer,  he  asked 
Dolores  in  the  most  deferential  manner  to  become  his 
wife.  For  a  moment  she  could  not  answer  him.  Could 
it  be  possible  that  she,  once  so  low  and  despised,  had 
been  wooed  in  such  a  gentle,  tender  way,  and  now 
was  asked  for  as  though  she  were  the  proudest  lady 
in  the  land  ?  She  grew  pale  and  trembled  from  excess 
of  emotion,  and  Alfred,  mistaking  this  for  hesitation 
and  doubt,  began  to  sue  more  earnestly  and  humbly, 
promising  all  that  man  could  promise,  and  when  her 
consent  was  given  receiving  it  as  a  great  boon. 

Rick's  consent  being  a  mere  matter  of  form,  Alfred 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  79 

now  wrote  his  mother  saying  it  was  his  desire  to 
marry  Dolores  at  once,  as  it  would  be  inconvenient 
for  him  to  return  for  her.  Riverton  needed  the  pres 
ence  of  its  master  in  more  ways  than  one,  for  some 
of  the  mortgages  were  about  to  fall  due  and  must 
be  met,  as  the  holder  was  anxious  for  the  money. 
Dolores  was  not  of  age,  but  her  money  would  be  paid 
to  him  by  Rick  as  soon  as  he  was  married,  so  why 
should  he  delay  ?  His  mother  answered  saying  she 
approved  his  plan,  and  then  Rick  sent  to  the  nearest 
city  for  materials  for  her  trousseau,  asking  his  sister 
to  select  what  was  most  suitable.  Dressmakers  were 
employed,  and  as  much  was  done  as  possible  in  two 
short  weeks.  Then  with  a  few  of  the  neighbors  in 
vited,  more  for  witnesses  than  for  any  other  cause, 
Alfred  and  Dolores  were  married. 

When  the  ceremony  was  over  Dolores  went  to  her 
room  to  prepare  for  the  journey — for  they  were  at 
once  to  set  out  for  Riverton — while  Rick  called  Alfred 
into  his  chamber  and  gave  into  his  hand  the  sum  sup 
posed  to  be  the  fortune  left  Dolores  by  her  father, 
taking  a  receipt  therefor.  He  purposely  detained 
him  until  time  for  the  bride  to  make  her  appearance, 
and  then  while  Alfred  retired  to  take  care  of  the 
money  and  make  final  preparations  for  leaving  Rick 
went  out  in  the  drawing-room  for  a  word  with  Mrs. 
Hastings — the  senorita  no  more. 

"  Dolores,"  he  said,  "  you  have  acquitted  yourself 
with  honor.  Alfred  loves  you,  and  I  believe  you  will 
be  happy  with  him ;  but  let  me  give  you  a  word  of 
advice.  He  is  selfish  and  loves  power  ;  do  not  allow 
him  to  misuse  you.  If  ever  anything  happens  that  you 
need  a  friend  send  for  me  and  I  will  come  to  your 
aid.  It  was  by  my  scheming  that  you  attained  your 
present  position,  and  if  trouble  overtakes  you  in  it 
I  will  at  least  see  that  you  do  not  want.  Here  is 
my  hand." 

Dolores  looked  up  in  surprise. 

"  What,  from  his  height?"  she  thought.  "  Knowing 
me  as  he  does,  when  no  one  is  by  to  see,  when  he  is 


&0  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

not  playing  a  part,  does  he  offer  me  his  hand  ?" 
There  were  tears  in  her  eyes  when  she  took  it.  "  I 
don't  know  how  to  thank  you  for  all  you  have  done 
for  me,"  she  said,  "but  may  the  dear  God  and  the 
Holy  Mother  bless  you  always  and  make  you  as 
happy  as  I  am  to-day." 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE    FIRST    HEARTACHE. 

Mrs.  Alfred  Hastings  became  at  once  a  favorite  at 
Riverton,  not  alone  in  her  immediate  home  circle,  but 
with  all  who  were  thrown  into  her  society.  The  ne 
groes  almost  idolized  her,  for  when  she  had  been 
installed  as  mistress  of  the  place  only  a  short  time 
she  knew  them  all  by  name,  spoke  to  them  kindly  and 
treated  them  as  rational  beings,  doing  all  that  lay  in 
her  power  to  make  their  lives  as  easy  as  possible. 
Alfred  playfully  told  her  she  was  spoiling  them,  and 
she  endeavored  to  seem  stern  before  him,  although  he 
never  interfered  with  her.  The  sum  of  money  Dolores 
brought  him  was  still  too  warm  in  his  palm  to  allow 
him  to  treat  her  unkindly,  aside  from  the  fact  that  she 
exercised  a  greater  influence  over  him  than  any  other 
person  had  ever  done. 

Alfred's  mother  regarded  her  daughter-in-law  as 
only  a  little  lower  than  the  angels,  for  several  reasons. 
First,  her  money  had  cleared  Riverton  of  debt  for  the 
first  time  in  twenty  years  or  more,  and  there  had  been 
enough  left  to  enable  them  to  keep  up  a  good  appear 
ance  until  the  place  should  earn  more.  For  Riverton 
was  profitable  when  properly  managed,  and  especially 
so  now  that  it  was  not  burthened  by  debt  and 
twice  the  number  of  slaves  that  were  really  required 
to  keep  it  in  order.  Alfred  was  managing  well,  and 
the  future  looked  very  bright.  Then  Dolores  was  an 
accomplished  beauty,  as  well  as  reputed  to  be  worth 
untold  sums  of  money,  and  all  this  reflected  no  little 
glory  upon  the  name  of  Hastings,  which  was  a  very 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  8* 

aristocratic  one,  its  ancestry  boasting  noble  blood,  and 
its  present  proprietors  considering  theirs  a  trifle  bluer 
than  any  which  flowed  in  the  veins  of  ordinary  people. 
Besides,  Dolores  was  gentle  and  good  at  heart. 

The  Hastings  family  numbered  among  their  ac 
quaintances  a  long  line  of  Virginia  families,  equally 
proud  with  themselves,  all  of  whom  were  able — or 
fancied  they  were — to  prove  the  greatness  of  their 
own  ancestors,  and  who  were  always  ready  to  con 
vince  themselves  and  others  of  the  fact  by  iteration. 
Riverton  had  been  a  notably  hospitable  place,  but 
during  the  time  of  Alfred's  absence  at  college  its 
visitors  fell  off  to  a  great  extent,  because  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Hastings,  harassed  by  debt,  seemed  more  care 
worn  than  formerly  and  fell  into  the  habit  of  inviting 
few  friends  to  the  house  and  of  making  still  fewer 
visits.  But  now  that  Alfred  had  brought  home  a 
wealthy  Cuban  wife  Riverton  was  gayer  in  fact  than 
ever  it  had  been  in  its  palmiest  days.  Visits,  recep 
tions,  rides,  drives,  followed  in  quick  succession,  and 
Dolores  was  the  life  of  them  all. 

Whatever  she  did  was  commended  as  exceedingly 
graceful  and  kind,  whatever  she  said  was  accounted 
either  witty  or  wise,  whatever  she  wore  was  admired 
and  copied  by  her  lady  friends  as  far  as  they  were 
able  to  succeed  in  imitating  it.  Her  great  musical 
talent  was  the  wonder  of  the  country  round,  her  en 
tertainments  were  marked  by  perfection  in  every 
detail  which  insured  success,  yet  she  was  looked  upon 
as  a  model  of  discreetness  in  her  deportment.  All 
this  Alfred  keenly  enjoyed,  and  though  little  selfish 
acts  of  his  were  often  manifest  to  her,  he  was 
among  the  most  sincere  of  her  admirers,  and  so  far 
as  love  of  self  did  not  interfere  he  was  Kma  to  her 
and  especially  deferential  before  others. 

But  Dolores  was  not  exacting.  She  did  not  expect 
too  much,  and  she  loved  her  husband  and  enjoyed 
her  position  thoroughly,  therefore  she  was  always 
patient  and  nearly  always  happy.  She  resolutely 
»hut  the  door  behind  the  past,  living  in  the  present 


&2  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

•only.  Vague  thoughts  sometimes  came  to  her  of  how 
she  might  help  her  mother's  race  in  the  future,  but 
now  their  lot  had  been  her  own  too  recently  for  her 
to  dare  much  for  their  sake,  fearing  to  lose  all. 

Immediately  upon  her  arrival  at  Riverton  she  had 
been  informed  by  Alfred  that  she  was  to  choose  her 
maid  from  among  the  slaves,  and  if  none  suited  her 
he  would  purchase  one  for  her  especial  use. 

"I  almost  wonder,"  he  said,  "that  Rick  did  not 
present  you  with  one,  he  has  so  many  useless  slaves, 
and  might  have  done  it  as  well  as  not." 

"  He  had  none  that  I  especially  cared  for,"  Dolores 
replied,  "  besides  I  prefer  one  who  has  been  accus 
tomed  to  your  home." 

So  the  women  were  assembled  in  the  old  hall,  and 
Dolores  came  out  to  choose.  They  were  drawn  up  in 
a  line  by  the  wall  on  either  side,  and  Alfred  led 
Dolores  out  of  the  parlor,  walking  down  between  the 
two  rows  and  making  comments  upon  each  as  he 
passed. 

"This  is  Sally,"  he  said,  as  they  passed  a  fine- 
looking  mulatto  girl.  "  She  might  answer  your  pur 
pose,  but  she  is  most  abominably  lazy.  Dinah  isn't 
handsome,"  speaking  of  a  large,  coal-black  woman 
who  stood  next,  "  but  she  is  an  excellent  chamber 
maid.  And  Sue,  here,  might  do,  for  she  acted  as 
maid  to  a  maiden  aunt  of  mine  who  is  now  dead,  but 
she  may  be  too  old  and  clumsy." 

"She  does  not  look  old,"  Dolores  returned,  some 
what  impressed  with  the  woman's  face,  which  was 
dark  but  kindly,  and  her  figure  was  trim  and  neat. 

"She  is  nearly  fifty,"  Alfred  returned,  "but  she  has 
never  been  abused,  and  she  doesn't  show  her  age." 

The  woman  was  perfectly  silent,  but  looked  wist 
fully  in  the  face  of  her  new  mistress,  as  if  to  ask  that 
she  might  be  taken  on  trial.  Dolores  saw  the  look 
and  paused  a  moment. 

"  I  think  I  will  try  Sue,"  she  said,  to  the  evident 
disappointment  of  the  rest,  particularly  Sally.  "  Do 
you  think  you  will  like  to  be  my  maid,  Sue  ?" 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  83 

"  Of  course  she  will,"  replied  Alfred,  before  Sue 
could  answer.  "  What  a  question,  my  dear  ;  you  are 
altogether  too  considerate.  You  see  we  are  not  try 
ing  to  please  Sue,  but  your  own  dear  self." 

"  Why,  I  am  pleasing  myself,"  returned  Dolores. 
"And  I  wish  to  please  myself  still  further  by  finding 
out  whether  Sue  was  pleased  also  or  not." 

"Well,  we  will  take  that  for  granted.  You  may  go,, 
all  of  you,"  to  the  servants.  "And  Sue,  mind  you 
serve  your  mistress  well ;  let  me  hear  no  complaint 
from  her,  or  it  will  not  be  well  for  you." 

"Yes,  Mas'r,"  Sue  answered,  with  a  most  profound 
courtesy. 

"You  can  now  come  to  my  room  and  unpack  my 
trunks,"  said  Dolores. 

Dolores  selected  Sue  for  two  reasons.  First,  she 
liked  her  appearance  ;  and  second,  she  felt  sure  she 
knew  everything  in  regard  to  the  family  history,  and 
she  meant  to  possess  herself  of  this  in  due  time,, 
thinking  it  would  help  her  in  her  course  of  action. 
As  the  time  went  by  Dolores  found  Sue  invaluable. 
She  loved  her  new  mistress  almost  to  idolatry,  and 
was  as  true  as  steel  in  every  particular. 

The  winter  had  been  extremely  gay — a  most 
happy  season  to  Dolores,  who  daily  felt  he;  position 
more  assured.  One  day  in  early  spring  when  she 
came  in  from  a  drive  with  Alfred  they  found  a  neigh 
bor  waiting  to  speak  to  him  upon  business,  and  Dolores 
went  immediately  to  her  room.  To  her  surprise  she 
found  Sue  already  there,  and  sobbing  as  if  her  heart 
would  break. 

"What  is  it,  Sue  ?"  she  asked,  kindly. 

"  It's  jes'  nuffin  at  all,  missus,"  replied  Sue,  hur 
riedly  wiping  away  her  tears. 

"But  whatever  it  is  you  must  tell  me,  Sue,  and 
perhaps  I  can  help  you." 

"  Oh,  no,  missus,"  the  woman  insisted,  "  yer  can't 
help  me  ;  nobody  kin  now.  'Sides,  Mas'r  Alfred  would 
skin  me  alive  if  I  was  to  tell  yer." 

"  But  why  need  he  ever  know  ?"  asked   Dolores. 


84  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

"  Come,  Sue,  trust  me  a  little  and  tell  me  what  is  the 
matter." 

"  It's  a'most  a  year  ago  sense  my  Prudy  was  took 
away,  a-sobbin'  an'  a-cryin'  awful,  an'  when  I  seen  de 
leabes  on  de  trees  a  branchin'  out  like  dey  was  den 
it  makes  me  feel  so  mis'able  like  I  can't  keep  de  tears 
from  comin'." 

"  But  where  was  she  taken  ?"  queried  Dolores,  fail 
ing  as  yet  to  understand. 

"  Laws,  Miss  Dolory,  Mas'r  Alfred  sole  her  jes' 
'cause " 

"Well,  Sue,"  gently. 

"  I  dassent  tell  you,  Missus,  'deed  I  dassent !" 

"  But  you  must,"  said  Dolores  decidedly.  "  Has 
any  one  ever  troubled  you  about  what  you  have  told 
me  before  ?" 

"  No.;  only  dis  is  wuss,  Missus,  dear." 

"No  matter,  Sue,  I  must  hear  it." 

"  Mas'r  Alfred  allus  'peared  real  pious  afore  old 
Mas'r,  and  Missus  too,  but  he  allus  done  what  he 
liked  on  de  sly.  Well,  Prudy  was  a  little  young  mite 
of  a  gal,  an'  Mas'r  Alfred  he  took  quite  a  notion  to 
her.  I  kep'  her  out  o'  his  sight  when  he  come  home 
in  de  summers,  but,  laws,  it  wan't  no  use.  He  was 
roun'  after  her  de  hull  time,  a-praisin'  her  up  an' 
a-tellin'  her  how  han'some  she  was.  Well,  Missus,  its 
no  use  a-beatin'  aroun'  de  bush,  but  Prudy  hed  a  baby 
de  nex'  spring — you've  seen  little  Pete — an'  all  degood 
niggers  was  shocked,  an'  so  was  I.  Well,  Prudy 
wan't  berry  white,  but  de  baby  was.  Nex'  time  Mas'r 
Alfred  come  home  he  didn't  pay  no  'tention  to  Prudy, 
an'  she  was  awful  cut  up  over  it.  So  de  time  went  on, 
an'  de  nex'  time  he  come  he  was  sweet  agin ;  but 
Prudy  'haved  herself  de  best  she  could  an'  nebber 
went  nigh  him  ef  she  could  help  it.  Well,  he  went 
away,  it  was  de  las'  year  he  was  gone,  an*  dat  year 
Prudy  married  Sam,  a  real  likely  niggah,  an'  Sam  was  as 
good  to  her  as  he  could  be,  fur  he  knowed  how  domi- 
neerin'  Mas'r  Alfred  was,  and  he  'lowed  fur  ail  sich 
tings.  But  when  young  Mas'r  got  back  he  was  foamin' 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  85 

mad,  and  he  wanted  money,  too,  so  he  sole  about  half 
a  dozen  niggar's — Dinah's  ole  man  Si  and  my  Prudy, 
and  foah  or  five  more.  Pore  Sam  felt  awful,  and 
pore  Prudy  was  fit  to  die,  hevin'  to  go  'long  wid  a 
mis'able  lookin'  slave-drivah,  an'  a-leavin'  her  poor 
^rphanless  chile.  An'  when  I  tinks  of  it  in  de  night, 
sometimes  I  cries  right  out  I  feels  so  mis'able  'bout 
pore  Prudy,  an'  I  nebber  will  get  over  it." 

At  that  moment  they  heard  Alfred's  step  upon  the 
stairs  ;  he  had  just  bowed  out  the  neighbor  who  had 
called.  Sue  looked  the  picture  of  dismay. 

"  What  shall  I  do,  missus  ?"  she  gasped.  "  Mas'r 
Alfred  '11  kill  me  ef  he  sees  me  a-cryin',  'cause  den 
he'll  reckon  right  off  what's  de  matter  !" 

Quick  as  thought  Dolores  seized  a  whip  which  lay 
upon  a  table — Alfred  had  playfully  given  it  to  her  a 
few  days  before,  saying  she  was  to  use  it  upon  any 
servant  who  failed  to  yield  her  cheerful  obedience  at 
all  times.  She  gave  one  or  two  quick  blows  upon  the 
skirt  of  her  own  dress,  crying : 

"  Not  another  word,  you  impertinent  thing  !  Leave 
the  room  this  instant !"  and  then  she  broke  forth  with 
a  torrent  of  abuse  in  Spanish,  which  neither  Sue  nor 
Alfred  understood  ;  but  Sue,  thankful  for  the  strategy 
displayed  by  her  mistress,  made  good  her  escape, 
while  Alfred  laughed  as  though  thoroughly  amused, 
and  told  Dolores  she  was  a  thoroughbred,  and  called 
her  a  number  of  other  semi-sporting,  semi-endearing 
adjectives  indicative  of  his  extreme  approval. 

"  I  suppose  I  have  been  very  unladylike,"  said 
Dolores,  bursting  into  tears,  and  Alfred  strove  to 
soothe  her,  never  dreaming  of  their  cause. 

"  The  little  woman  has  a  Spanish  temper  I  see 
after  all,"  he  said,  "  and  I  am  glad  to  find  it  out,  for 
I  was  afraid  she  was  spoiling  Sue  by  over-indulgence. 
This  will  do  her  good,  for  she  will  see  that,  while  you 
are  kind,  you  will  not  be  trifled  with." 

Dolores  received  his  congratulatory  remarks  in 
silence,  and  when  he  paused  she  threw  herself  upon  a 
couch,  saying  her  head  ached  and  she  would  try  to 


86  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

sleep.  So  he  kissed  her  and  went  out,  leaving  her 
with  the  first  real  heartache  she  had  known  since  she 
entered  high  life. 

After  her  husband  had  gone  out  over  the  fields  to 
give  some  directions  concerning  the  management  of 
the  spring  crops  she  rang  for  Sue,  and  questioning 
her  closely  she  learned  that,  as  was  the  case  upon 
most  old  estates,  the  slaves  had  become  so  numerous 
that  there  were  many  to  feed — more  than  were  re 
quired  for  service — and  a  large  number  had  been  sold 
in  order  to  thin  them  out,  and  also  to  realize  some 
ready  money  ;  but  in  doing  this,  Alfred  had  not  sold 
the  young,  unmarried  ones  who  had  not  formed  house 
ties,  but  broke  up  families  without  mercy,  parting 
husbands  and  wives,  mothers  and  children,  without 
the  slightest  compunctions  of  conscience,  wherever  it 
suited,  his  purpose  to  do  so,  and  sometimes,  as  it 
seemed,  out  of  pure  maliciousness. 

"My  poor  Sue,"  Dolores  said,  "my  heart  aches  for 
you.  I  don't  know  that  I  can  help  you  now,  for  it  is 
not  probable  that  Mr.  Hastings  would  ever  buy  poor 
Prudy  back  ;  but  if  the  time  ever  does  come,  I  will 
try  and  see  her  united  to  her  husband  and  you. 
Don't  despair,  for  it  is  possible,  you  know.  Be  good 
and  obedient  and  as  patient  as  you  can,  and,  above 
all,  do  not  grieve." 

"  Good  an'  'bedient  Missus,  honey  ?"  said  Sue;  "  why 
fore  de  Lo'd,  Miss  Dolory,  I'd  take  out  my  pore  ole 
heart  fer  you  dis  minute !" 

"Thanks,  Sue,"  she  said;  "perhaps  I  may  some  day 
need  your  kindness,  not  in  taking  out  your  heart,  for 
that  has  bled  enough  already,  but  in  other  ways." 

The  woman  left  her  with  renewed  protestations  of 
devotion,  and  Dolores  darkened  the  room  to  keep  out 
the  bright  spring  sunshine,  and  lay  thinking  and  sigh 
ing,  trying  to  plan  some  way  to  unite  the  families  her 
husband  had  torn  asunder,  her  heart  aching  to  feel  he 
was  so  devoid  of  humanity,  her  respect  for  him  grow 
ing  less  and  less  as  she  reviewed  his  course,  and  her 
heart  aching  more  and  more. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  87 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE    PET   OF   SOCIETY. 

Dolores  had  a  naturally  sunny  temper  and  she  soon 
regained  her  spirits,  though  she  did  not  cease  to  re 
volve  in  her  mind  various  plans  for  the  good  of  the 
slaves  under  her  care.  Mrs.  Hastings  was  mild- 
tempered,  usually  echoing  Alfred's  sentiments ;  but 
Ida  was  a  troublesome  child,  given  to  telling  all  she 
knew  at  the  most  inopportune  occasions,  selfish  and 
often  ill-natured — partly  because  it  was  her  dis 
position  to  be  so,  and  partly  because  she  had  been 
spoiled.  Still  Dolores  was  patient  with  her,  and  so 
far  as  it  was  possible  for  her  to  care  for  any  one  be 
sides  herself,  Ida  was  in  love  with  her  grand  sister-in- 
law,  but  chiefly,  it  must  be  confessed,  because  she 
made  the  house  so  gay,  and  since  her  advent  Ida  had 
not  been  stinted  in  the  way  of  pretty  clothes  and 
other  trifles  dear  to  her  heart. 

The  coming  of  spring  was  the  signal  for  excur 
sions  and  out-of-door  festivities,  and  Alfred  must 
teach  Dolores  to  ride  on  horseback,  since  the  accom 
plishment  was  much  practiced  by  ladies  in  the  vicinity. 
She  had  tried  it  to  a  small  extent  upon  the  previous 
summer,  but  as  yet  was  not  a  fearless  equestrienne. 
Still  she  rode  gracefully  and  looked  well,  and  her  hus 
band  cared  for  little  more,  though  he  assured  her  that 
she  would  grow  exceedingly  fond  of  the  exercise. 

A  little  later  in  the  season  Dolores  gave  an  enter 
tainment  upon  a  moonlight  evening.  She  had  dancing 
and  supper  upon  the  grounds,  which  were  illuminated 
for  the  occasion.  Long  afterward  it  was  remembered 
and  spoken  of  as  one  of  the  most  perfect  entertain 
ments  of  the  kind  ever  given  in  that  section  of  the 
country.  The  lawn  was  green  and  velvet-smooth, 
roses  and  various  other  shrubs  and  plants  were  in 
bloom,  the  air  was  perfumed  and  soft,  the  night  clear 
and  the  moon  full,  while  under  the  trees,  wherever  a 
branch  cast  a  shadow,  hung  many-colored  lamps 
which  served  effectually  to  banish  the  gloom.  Every 


38  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOB1LITV. 

door  and  casement  in  the  house  swung  wide,  the  win 
dows  were  curtained  with  lace,  the  rooms  lighted  and 
decorated  with  flowers.  The  lights,  the  flowers,  the 
soft  moonlight,  the  ladies  moving  about  in  white  or 
gay  graceful  costumes,  the  music,  which  came  from  a 
secluded  grove  near,  all  tended  to  make  the  place 
seem  unreal  or  like  fairyland.  There  was  a  strange 
influence  in  the  air  as  though  it  were  charged  with 
magnetism.  Dolores  received  her  guests  in  a  bower 
which  opened  as  if  to  let  the  moonlight  in.  Her  dress 
was  Spanish — a  rich  gold-colored  silk,  over  which  was 
black  lace  flounces,  caught  up  here  and  there  with  a 
blood-red  flower.  She  wore  a  mantilla  over  her  head 
and  shoulders,  which  were  otherwise  uncovered,  and 
gave  each  guest  a  cordial  greeting,  coupled  with 
some  complimentary  remark  uttered  in  her  gentle  but 
sprightly  manner.  The  company  had  nearly  assem 
bled  ;  there  were  only  a  few  scattering  arrivals  now, 
and  Dolores  was  about  to  give  the  signal  for  the 
dancing  to  commence.  About  her  hung  half  a  score 
or  so  of  ardent  admirers — both  male  and  female — for 
it  was  the  rage  to  admire  young  Mrs.  Hastings  in 
whatever  she  did  or  said.  The  young  men  adored 
her,  and  publicly  sighed  because  there  were  no  un 
married  ladies  like  her;  yet  this  fact  did  not  make 
Dolores  unpopular  with  the  ladies,  as  she  always 
seemed  to  reflect  some  of  her  brilliancy  upon  those 
about  her,  and  she  was  so  utterly  unaffected  and  ap 
parently  unconscious  of  her  charms  it  was  impossible  to 
be  jealous  of  her.  Alfred  had  excused  himself  for  a 
few  moments.  Dolores  did  not  inquire  the  cause  ;  she 
knew  some  one  had  arrived  and  was  waiting  for  his 
return  to  begin  the  dance.  When  he  did  come,  how 
ever,  he  brought  no  guest  with  him,  though  something 
in  his  manner  told  her  he  had  news  of  some  sort,  and 
she  fancied  he  was  waiting  for  an  opportunity  to  tell 
her  of  it.  Still  when  the  opportunity  did  occur  he 
refrained  from  speaking,  so  she  gave  it  no  further 
thought. 

There  had   been  a  platform  erected  for  dancing, 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  89 

and  it  was  draped  like  a  tent,  the  sides  looped  up  with 
garlands  of  leaves  and  flowers,  thus  exposing  the 
dancers  to  view.  Dolores  danced  often,  for,  as  the 
night  was  warm  and  the  air  filled  with  languor,  many 
of  the  ladies  preferred  to  sit  and  watch  the  dancers  ; 
perhaps,  too,  because  the  moonlight  was  to  many  more 
flattering  than  lamplight,  and  favored  moonstruck 
cavaliers,  who,  under  the  influence  of  the  music,  the 
moonlight  and  the  flowers,  found  words  to  say  what 
lingered  upon  their  tongues  in  the  clear  but  prosy 
daylight. 

"  How  beautiful  Mrs.  Hastings  is  to-night — is  she 
not,  Mr.  Hall  ?"  queried  a  lady  who  was  watching 
Dolores,  as  with  an  easy,  graceful  movement  which 
seemed  slower  than  that  of  all  others,  yet  was  in  per 
fect  time,  she  glided  through  the  figures  of  the  dance. 

"  She  is  more  than  beautiful,  she  is  almost  divine  !" 
exclaimed  the  gentleman  addressed  with  much  enthu 
siasm.  "  She  is  positively  a  mystery  to  me.  She 
seems  to  surround  herself  at  all  times  with  a  vague, 
delightfully  unreal  atmosphere  which  is  really  intoxi 
cating,  though  unlike  the  effect  of  wine  altogether. 
It  seems  elevating  to  a  wonderful  degree,  and  when 
one  has  left  her,  passes  away  gently,  leaving  no  in 
jurious  effect,  only  a  desire  remains  to  enjoy  her 
presence  always.  Now  to-night,  for  instance,  does  it 
not  appear  as  though  she  were  a  Spanish  princess, 
only  needing  a  throne  to  complete  her  regal  state  ? 
Or,  only  for  the  Spanish  dress,  one  might  fancy  her 
one  of  those  wonderful  Circassian  beauties  who  could 
make  a  Sultan  desert  a  whole  harem  for  her  sake." 

"  To  one  who  has  never  seen  her  your  words  might 
sound  like  a  lover's  rhapsody,"  smiled  the  lady  in 
return  ;  "  but  having  seen  and  known  the  effect  of 
her  strange  beauty,  I  must  confess  that  all  you  say  is 
quite  true.  By  the  way,  Mr.  Hall,"  in  an  undertone, 
"  have  you  observed  that  very  handsome  gentle 
man  who  is  standing  near,  and  who  seems  to  be 
watching  Mrs.  Hastings  and  listening  to  our  conver 
sation  simultaneously  ?" 


90  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

At  this  Mr.  Hall  turned  and  met  the  gentleman's- 
glance,  when  he  passed  quickly  to  his  side  with  out 
stretched  hand. 

"  Mr.  Gonzales,  I  believe,"  he  said.  "  I  think  I 
had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  you  here  last  summer." 

Rick  bowed,  giving  his  hand  in  return. 

"I  have  just  arrived,"  he  said,  "being  on  my  way 
to  New  York.  As  I  came  unexpectedly  I  was  not 
aware  of  this  merry-making.  I  have  seen  Mr. 
Hastings,  but  as  yet  have  not  made  my  arrival  known 
to  my  hostess,  who,  I  am  glad  to  see,  is  making  her 
self  and  her  guests  happy." 

"I  think,"  said  Mr.  Hall,  "if  I  remember  correctly, 
Mrs.  Hastings  is  a  friend  of  yours." 

Rick  bowed. 

"  Her  father  and  mine  were  warm  friends,"  he 
said,  "  and  after  both  her  parents  died  she  came  on 
from  Havana  with  father.  It  was  at  my  house  that 
her  wedding  occurred." 

"Then  we  are  greatly  indebted  to  you.  Mrs. 
Hastings'  advent  here  has  infused  new  life  into  so 
ciety,  has  brightened  us  all  in  a  wonderful  degree, 
for  she  is  to-day  the  most  popular  lady,  as  hostess, 
acquaintance  or  friend,  in  all  this  region  of  country." 

"  I  am  delighted  to  hear  it,"  Rick  answered.  "  And 
now  I  must  find  a  moment  to  speak  with  her,  for  I 
only  intend  to  make  a  brief  call,  and  I  see  she  is 
not  going  to  dance  the  set  that  is  now  forming." 

There  were  some  half-spoken  regrets,  more  polite 
than  profound,  from  Mr.  Hall,  because  Mr.  Gonzales 
was  about  to  tear  himself  away  so  soon,  and  then  Rick 
bowed  his  thanks  and  turned  to  find  Dolores.  He 
had  met  Alfred  upon  his  arrival  and  refused  to  be 
presented  to  Dolores  at  once,  saying  he  was  not  in 
evening  dress  and  did  not  care  to  mingle  with  the  gay 
crowd.  He  would  wait  and  surprise  her  later,  as  soon 
as  she  withdrew  a  little  from  the  throng.  Alfred  re 
plied  that  he  would  probably  need  to  wait  the  whole 
evening,  as  his  wife  was  always  the  centre  of  the 
crowd,  but  Rick  persisted  in  doing  as  he  pleased. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  91 

The  truth  was,  he  feared  his  presence  might  startle 
Dolores,  and  he  did  not  wish  Alfred  to  witness  it  too 
closely,  or,  indeed,  any  of  his  guests.  At  this  mo 
ment,  however,  Dolores  left  the  dancers  and  was 
moving  about  among  the  more  quiet  groups  that 
dotted  the  lawn,  and  Rick  felt  that  he  must  improve 
the  opportunity.  Accordingly,  just  as  she  had  passed 
a  knot  of  two  or  three  and  was  turning  to  another,  he 
came  forward. 

"  Mrs.  Hastings,"  he  said,  politely,  "I  am  delighted 
to  find  you  so  well  and  charmingly  happy." 

"  Mr.  Gonzales  !"  she  exclaimed,  turning  very  white 
for  an  instant,  but  Rick  was  prepared  for  this  and  her 
face  was  turned  away  from  any  near  observer. 

"Please  take  my  arm  a  moment,"  he  said,  in  an 
easy,  quiet  tone.  "  I  am  in  my  traveling  dress,  and 
look  out  of  place  in  the  crowd.  Do  not  let  my  pres 
ence  give  you  the  slightest  concern,"  he  continued  in 
a  lower  tone  as  soon  as  they  had  passed  out  into  a 
clear,  moonlit  space,  where  they  could  be  observed 
but  not  heard.  "I  merely  called  to  see  how  you  were, 
and  I  leave  within  an  hour.  I  wished  to  satisfy  my 
self  that  you  were  as  happy  as  is  represented,  and  to 
assure  you,  if  that  is  necessary,  that  I  am  always  your 
friend  when  you  need  one.  I  find  you  the  pet  of 
society  here,  and  see  you  have  taken  every  one  by 
storm.  I  am  proud  of  you.  But  are  you  really  as 
happy  as  you  seem  ?" 

"  Really,"  she  answered,  quite  herself  once  more. 
"  The  only  trouble  I  have  is  the  regret  that  my  hands 
are  tied  so  I  cannot  help  the  poor  slaves  as  I  would 
wish." 

"But,"  said  Rick,  "Alfred  told  me  in  great  glee 
that  you  are  in  the  habit  of  beating  your  maid." 

"  I  think  you  know  I  did  not,"  she  replied,  looking 
up  in  his  face  a  moment.  "  She  was  telling  me  her 
troubles  and  crying  because  Alfred  sold  her  daughter 
Prudy  a  year  ago,  and  he  came  in  and  nearly  caught 
us,  so  I  pretended  to  beat  her  that  he  might  not  guess 
why  she  was  crying.  I  would  like  to  find  Prudy  for 


92  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

her,  and  yet  I  know  Alfred  would  never  buy  her  back, 
and  to  tell  the  truth  I  cannot  say  that  I  would  like  to 
have  her,  only  on  poor  Sue's  account." 

"  I  believe  you  wish  me  to  look  for  her,"  he  said, 
smiling.  "  Well,"  seeing  her  wistful  look,  "  I  will. 
Only  I  cannot  promise  much,  for  I  may  be  unable  to 
find  her.  Is  there  anything  else  you  would  like  me 
to  do  ?" 

"  Nothing,"  she  answered.  "  Indeed,  I  am  so  much 
indebted  to  you  already." 

"  Hush  !"  he  said.  "  Dolores,  I  can  only  think  of 
you  as  the  daughter  of  my  father's  friend ;  I  look 
upon  you  to-night  feeling  a  strange  pleasure  in  the 
admiration  you  incite  as  I  might  over  a  dear  and 
honored  sister." 

She  did  not  answer,  but  her  hand  involuntarily 
tightened  a  trifle  upon  his  arm.  It  was  trembling 
slightly,  and  he  did  not  wish  to  excite  her  more,  so  he 
turned  for  a  moment  to  look  upon  the  dancers. 

"If  I  did  not  look  so  rusty,"  he  said,  "  I  would 
like  one  dance  with  you." 

"  You  look  rusty  ?"  she  exclaimed.  "  Why  there  is 
not  a  gentleman  here  to-night  who  can  compare  with 
you  in  appearance.  And  if  you  will  dance  with  me  I 
shall  feel  more  highly  honored  than  by  all  else  that 
has  been  done  and  said  to-night." 

"  You  are  a  flatterer,"  he  answered,  laughing. 
"  Come  then,  for  -the  musicians  are  playing  a  waltz 
and  Alfred  is  advancin-g  toward  us — let  us  meet  him." 

"  It  does  me  a  world  of  good  to  see  you  here  Rick," 
Alfred  said.  "I  only  wish  you  could  remain  some 
time  with  us." 

"That  is  impossible,"  returned  Rick,  "as  I  am 
going  to  New  York.  Excuse  us  a  short  while,  Dolores 
and  I  are  going  to  try  this  waltz."  And  a  moment 
later  they  were  whirling  away,  while  every  eye  was 
bent  upon  them  they  danced  so  gracefully  together. 

"  So  you  are  going  to  New  York  ?"  she  said. 

"Yes,"  he  answered,  "to  tell  a  story  and  bestow  a 
ring,  if  my  lady  is  gracious,  and  listening  to  one  ac- 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  93 

cepts  the  other.  Pray  for  me  that  she  may  be,  for 
she  is  gentle  and  good,  with  a  tender  heart  for  all  the 
clown-trodden  and  unfortunate  in  this  life." 

"  Is  she  like  this  ?  Then  I  will  surely  pray  that 
she  may  be  very  gracious  ;  for  you  only  need  such  a 
woman  to  make  a  man  that  all  the  good  people  on 
earth  would  be  glad  to  know." 

"Thanks,"  he  said,  and  then  the  waltz  was  over, 
and  it  was  time  for  him  to  go. 

Both  Alfred  and  Dolores  pressed  him  to  remain 
for  refreshments.  He  at  first  refused,  but  fancying 
Dolores  looked  troubled  about  it  he  ate  an  ice  she 
brought  him,  saying  only  that  he  must  catch  a  certain 
train  he  would  remain  longer,  and  bidding  her  "Good- 
by  "  in  a  regretful  tone,  he  turned  to  leave,  Alfred 
following  him  to  the  drive. 

"Rick,"  he  said,  "before  you  go  I  wish  to  hear 
from  your  lips  that  you  have  forgiven  me  for  my  con 
duct  last  summer." 

"  It  illy  becomes  me  to  visit  your  house  and  eat 
your  bread,  feeling  as  I  do  toward  you,"  Rick  re 
plied  ;  "  but  I  came  to  see  Dolores,  not  you,  and  to 
assure  myself  that  she  was  happy.  Perhaps  if  Rose 
looks  with  favor  upon  me,  in  after  years  she  may  teach 
me  to  forget  that  you  have  separated  us  for  months 
and  tried  to  divide  us  for  a  lifetime.  Not  that  you 
wanted  her,  only  because  you  wished  for  a  sum  of 
money  which  I  would  have  loaned  you  for  the  asking. 
If  you  had  taken  my  purse,  boy,  I  would  have  thought 
'he  needed  it,  and  knew  he  was  welcome  to  it;'  but 
knowing  that  purse  was  open  to  you  you  took  my 
heart's  core  instead,  and  this  showed  an  amount  of 
guile  too  great  for  any  one  whom  I  will  willingly  call 
my  friend.  Forgive  and  forget  is  the  good  old  rule, 
but  I  who  was  never  saint-like  must  reverse  it  before 
I  can  apply  it  to  my  case,  for  while  I  remember,  I  can 
not  forgive  ;  perhaps  I  may  if  the  time  ever  comes  when 
I  shall  think  of  you  but  twice  a  year,  and  then  with  in 
difference,  but  not  until  then.  Good-night !"  And 
springing  into  his  carriage  he  was  rapidly  driven  away. 


lj4  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

A    QUESTION    AND    AN    ANSWER. 

Rick  did  not  find  Rose  in  New  York.  Mrs.  Beale 
was  at  home,  and  met  him  very  kindly  however, 
which  encouraged  him  somewhat. 

"  Rose,"  she  said,  "  has  gone  into  the  country; 
she  has  been  absent  from  the  city  for  nearly  a  month. 
She  was  ill  all  winter,  and  as  soon  as  spring  came  she 
began  to  long  for  country  air  and  quiet,  so  I  arranged 
for  her  to  go  out  upon  a  farm,  where  she  will  have 
every  comfort  and  care." 

"Do  you  think  she  would  welcome  me  were  I  to 
visit  her  there  ?"  Rick  asked. 

"  I  cannot  tell,  though  I  believe  she  would.  I  never 
understood  why  she  ever  listened  to  Alfred  Hastings 
a  moment,  because  from  the  time  you  visited  us  with 
him  during  the  holidays  I  thought  her  in  love  with 
you.  I  know  that  Mr.  Hastings  has  a  plausible  man 
ner,  and  I  am  sure  he  influenced  her  against  you. 
Now,  since  she  has  discovered  how  false  he  was,  I 
think  she  has  had  an  utter  revulsion  of  feeling,  and  I 
am  sure  she  will  be  glad  to  do  you  justice." 

"That,"  Rick  answered,  "is  not  quite  what  I  wish. 
I  have  loved  Rose  from  the  day  I  met  her  first, 
though  I  hesitated  in  speaking  to  her,  for  she  seemed 
reserved  ;  still  I  did  not  dream  that  Alfred  stood 
between  us,  for  he  gave  me  to  understand  very  clearly 
he  had  not  thought  of  wooing  Rose  ;  on  the  con 
trary,  he  advised  me  to  do  so.  But  it  is  not  worth 
while  to  open  the  old  wound  by  reviewing  his  con 
duct.  I  thank  you  more  than  I  can  tell  for  the  kind 
letter  you  sent  me  last  fall.  I  sympathized  with  Rose, 
for  I  knew.the  thought  that  she  had  been  almost  won 
for  her  fortune  alone  would  be  very  bitter  indeed  ; 
still  I  fancied  she  would  wish  to  recover  in  a  measure 
from  this  shock  before  receiving  another  lover,  and 
therefore  I  have  waited  until  now,  doing  the  things 
upon  my  plantation  which  I  thought  she  would  like 
me  to  do,  not  alone  for  her  sake  but  because  I  felt  it 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  95 

to  be  right.  And  now  I  have  come,  not  to  seek  justice 
at  her  hands,  but  simply  to  ask  her  love.  Are  you 
willing,  madame,  that  I  should  do  this?" 

"  I  am,"  she  said,  "for  I  never  liked  Alfred  and  I 
always  liked  you." 

He  thanked  her  warmly,  received  her  directions 
concerning  the  place  where  Rose  was  staying,  and  set 
out  at  once.  It  was  a  little  inland  village  in  New 
York  State,  an  hour's  distance  by  rail  and  another 
hour's  ride  in  a  stage-coach  which  could  scarcely  be 
called  old-fashioned  at  that  time,  as,  since  the  smaller 
branch  roads  which  are  so  convenient  to  travelers 
now  were  then  unknown  in  our  country,  and  even  the 
large  ones  were  few  and  far  between,  Rick  took  the 
journey,  with  its  little  unaccountable  delays,  quite 
patiently.  When  he  reached  the  village  of  Ryefield 
he  took  a  room  in  the  one  small  hotel  the  place 
afforded,  where  he  washed  off  the  dust  of  travel  and 
made  himself  as  presentable  as  possible.  This  done 
he  took  some  slight  refreshment  and  then  set  out  to 
walk  to  Farmer  Bailey's  cottage,  which  stood  just  a 
little  beyond  the  borders  of  the  town. 

The  house  was  only  one  story  high  and  was  painted 
a  deep  red  color,  the  windows  rather  small,  without 
blinds,  and  their  frames  a  staring  white,  which  con 
trasted  strangely  with  the  color  of  the  house.  The 
entrance  was  at  the  side,  the  end  jpeing  toward  the 
street,  and  containing  a  small  parlor  and  a  still  smaller 
bedroom  at  the  back,  which,  being  the  best  in  the 
house,  was  set  apart  for  Rose.  Over  the  entrance 
was  a  small  porch,  gay  with  mingled  red  and  white, 
with  a  bench  at  either  end  and  a  white  railing  beyond 
it.  This  porch  led  into  a  small,  square  hall,  which 
had  three  doors  besides  the  front — one  leading  into 
the  parlor  at  the  right,  the  opposite  one  opening  into 
a  long,  low  room  with  a  great  fire-place  at  one  end, 
which  served  as  kitchen  and  dining-room.  There  was 
a  sort  of  small  wash-room  and  two  bedrooms  back  of 
this,  which  completed  the  house,  if  I  except  an  attic, 
which  was  reached  by  a  pair  of  stairs  opened  from 


96  SUliUUEU    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

the  front  hall  and  which  was  boxed  up  on  every 
side. 

Without  was  a  world  of  fresh  green  grass,  beds  of 
peonies  which  had  just  cast  their  blooms,  roses  in 
bud,  roses  in  bloom,  with  their  hundred  pink,  fragrant 
petals  and  their  great  yellow  hearts,  pinks  nodding  in 
the  breeze  or  bending  under  the  weight  of  robber 
bees,  trees  casting  here  and  there  a  patch  of  shade 
over  the  lawn,  scents  of  clover  and  roses,  and  hun 
dreds  of  other  flowers  freighting  the  soft  wind,  and 
over  all  the  blue  sky  and  bright  sunshine  of  a  perfect 
June  day.  Rick  paused  a  moment  as  he  reached  the 
porch,  feeling,  in  spite  of  his  anxiety,  a  restful  calm 
steal  over  him.  He  heard  voices  within,  one  abrupt 
and  full  of  energy,  the  other  lower  and  gently  modu 
lated — surely  the  last  could  only  belong  to  Rose. 

"  Massy  sakes  alive !"  came  to  his  ear  in  the 
louder  voice.  "You  don't  tell  me,  Miss  Rose,  that 
you've  got  all  them  air  poseys  made  up  into  nosegays 
so  soon  !" 

"  Why,  Aunt  Nancy,  you  speak  as  though  I  had 
done  something  wonderful,"  laughed  the  clear,  re 
fined  voice. 

"  And  so  you  hev.  Didn't  you  ram-sack  the  wood 
lot  and  the  south  medder,  and  the  dear  knows  what 
not  to  get  all  them  air  poseys,  and  haven't  you  finified 
up  the  room  till%it  looks  as  if  the  blossoms  sprouted 
up  out  of  the  floor  and  the  wall  ?  Why  even  the  fire 
place  is  all  ablow.  I'll  bet  anything  your  beau  is 
comin'  to-night,  Miss  Rose." 

"Aunt  Nancy  !"  with  an  almost  imperceptible  sad 
ness  in  the  voice,  "  don't  you  think  if  I  was  so  fortu 
nate  as  to  possess  one  he  would  have  come  to  see  me 
before  this  time?  Here  I  have  been  for  nearly  a 
month  without  the  ghost  of  a  follower  of  any  sort." 

"You  can't  always  tell,"  was  the  response,  "and  if 
he  don't  come  to-night  he  ought  to,  that's  all."  Rick 
then  lifted  the  shining  brass  knocker,  and  there  was 
a  hush  within. 

A  moment   later  a  tall,  strong-looking  and   bony 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  97 

woman  came  to  the  door,  Aunt  Nancy,  without 
doubt.  Her  features  were  sharp,  her  lips  thin,  her 
eyes  gray  and  piercing,  her  scanty  flaxen  hair  drawn 
back  into  a  small  tight  twist  at  the  back  of  her  head, 
the  coil  about  the  size  of  an  overcoat  button.  She 
wore  a  green  and  white  gingham  dress,  which  hung 
so  straight  about  her  it  would  have  been  impossible 
to  tell  where  the  waist  left  off  and  the  skirt  began, 
only  that  it  was  indicated  by  the  strings  of  an  apron 
which  was  tied  about  her  form. 

"  Good  afternoon,"  she  said,  as  abruptly  as  though 
the  words  were  shot  from  a  cannon's  mouth,  and  with 
as  much  noise.  "Walk  in  !"  quite  as  abruptly,  closing 
her  jaws  with  a  snap  after  each  exclamation. 

"Is  Miss  Halbert  at  home?"  asked  Rick,  taking  off 
his  hat  politely. 

"  She  is  !"  in  as  sharp  a  tone  as  ever,  but  with  un 
mistakable  signs  of  mirth  about  her  eyes.  "  Here's  a 
man  inquirin'  about  you,  Miss  Halbert  !"  and  she 
ushered  him  into  the  little  parlor  without  further 
ceremony. 

Rose  stood  in  the  door  of  her  room.  She  had  evi 
dently  meditated  an  escape,  but  Miss  Nancy  had  been 
too  quick  for  her,  so  she  turned  and  with  what  hardi 
hood  she  could  command  faced  her  visitor,  blushing 
guiltily  as  she  remembered  her  conversation  with  Aunt 
Nancy,  for  fear  he  might  have  overheard.  After 
slight  hesitation  she  advanced  and  put  out  her  hand. 

"  Mr.  Gonzales,"  she  said,  almost  inaudibly,  giving 
him  her  hand,  but  finding  it  impossible  to  utter  a 
single  word  of  welcome. 

"  You  were  not  going  to  run  away  from  me  ?"  he 
said. 

"  No  ;  oh,  no  !  that  is — I  was  not  sure  it  was  you. 
Aunt  Nancy" — for  that  lady  stood  in  the  doorway 
regarding  the  pair — "  allow  me  to  present  to  you  my 
friend  Mr.  Gonzales.  I  beg  pardon,  I  should  have 
said  Miss  Bailey." 

Aunt  Nancy  did  not  recognize  this  introduction  in 
the  usual  way.  She  had  spoken  to  the  man  once,  why 


98  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

should  she  go  nid-nodding  to  him  the  second  time  ? 
as  she  explained  afterward.  Rick  bowed  again,  but 
she  stood  with  her  arms  akimbo  shrewdly  eyeing  him. 

"  I  knowed  it !"  she  burst  forth  at  last.  "  I  knowed 
it,  and  I  told  Miss  Rose  so  not  five  minutes  ago. 
Says  I— 

"  Please,  Aunt  Nancy !"  exclaimed  Rose,  nervously, 
"  don't  repeat  your  words." 

"  Why  not  ?"  queried  the  incorrigible  woman.  "I 
said  so  then  and  I  say  so  now.  Says  I " 

"Oh,  I  heard  you,"  laughed  Rick,  in  his  heart 
grateful  to  her  for  having  broken  the  ice  for  him, 
even  though  she  did  it  rather  roughly.  "  I  stood  upon 
the  porch  listening  for  a  moment  before  I  knocked. 
You  said  Miss  Halbert  was  going  to  have  a  visit  from 
her  beau,  and  you  were  right.  Here  I  am,  come 
several  hundred  miles  to  see  her  and  you.  What  do 
you  think  of  me  ?" 

"Well,  I  ain't  sure  but  what  I  like  you  considering 
but  you're  ruther  sassy,  I  can  see  that  with  half  an 
eye.  Still  I  ain't  so  sure  but  what  I  like  sass.  Sass 
in  season  ain't  bad,  but  out  of  season  it's  abominable. 
But  that  sly  puss  of  a  Rose  to  never  let  on  that  she 
was  lookin*  for  you." 

"She  didn't  know  I  was  coming,  and  therefore 
could  not  be  expected  to  watch  for  me  particularly  ; 
and  she  may  send  me  back  after  all  my  long  journey, 
if  you  do  not  use  your  influence  in  my  behalf,"  said 
Rick,  "and  that  would  be  simply  dreadful." 

"  It  would  be  ruther  bad,  considerin'  the  distance 
you've  come,  and  as  I  'spose  you'd  like  to  know  how 
the  land  lays,  I'll  go  out  and  whip  up  a  custard  for 
supper.  If  Miss  Rose  don't  invite  you  to  stay  to  it, 
why  I  will."  And  without  waiting  to  hear  his  thanks 
she  hurried  out  with  a  step  that  was  as  vigorous  as 
her  speech. 

"  She  is  dreadful,"  gasped  poor  Rose,  who  had  been 
turning  first  white  and  then  red  by  turns  during  the 
conversation.  "  But  really  you  have  no  idea  ho\v 
good  she  has  been  to  me.  For  I  was  not  very  well 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  99 

Avhen  I  came  and  she  took  me  in  hand  at  once,  mak 
ing  all  kinds  of  little  delicious,  strengthening  dishes, 
and  tempting  my  appetite  whether  I  was  hungry  or 
not.  She  is  Mr.  Bailey's  sister,  and  Mrs.  Bailey  is  a 
delicate  little  woman,  not  able  to  do  much  hard  work, 
and  she  lets  Aunt  Nancy,  as  everybody  calls  her,  do 
just  as  she  pleases.  Of  course  she  must  seem  rather 
rude  to  a  stranger,  but  she  means  no  harm — it  is  her 
way." 

"She  is  abrupt,  certainly,"  said  Rick,  "  but  you  can 
scarcely  call  her  rude,  her  face  beams  with  such  grim 
good-nature.  Upon  the  whole,  I  like  her  exceed 
ingly." 

"I'm  glad,"  returned  Rose,  "for  I  have  really 
.grown  to  love  the  woman,  uncouth  though  she  may 
be."  And  then  it  occurred  to  her  how  dreadfully 
Aunt  Nancy  would  have  shocked  Alfred  Hastings. 
It  was  so  uncomfortable  to  have  people  about  you 
who  were  constantly  becoming  dreadfully  shocked  ; 
one  was  always  expecting  an  explosion  of  some  sort 
when  with  such  people.  Here  her  thoughts  were  inter 
rupted  by  Rick. 

"  You  have  not  given  me  a  word  of  welcome  yet," 
he  said.  "Surely  you  know  why  I  have  come?" 

"I — I  think  I  do,"  she  answered,  the  brave  words 
being  uttered  in  a  half-frightened  way. 

"  Let  me  remove  all  doubts  at  once,"  he  said,  draw 
ing  his  chair  nearer  to  hers,  but  as  yet  not  even  touch 
ing  her  hand.  "I  have  come  to  ask  you  to  be  my 
wife.  I  am  not  what  you  can  call  a  good  man,  Rose, 
but  I  love  you  with  my  whole  heart — you  are  the  only 
woman  I  ever  have  loved.  I  could  never  grieve  you 
willingly,  and  therefore,  so  far  as  one  person  can  in 
fluence  another,  I  shall  be  influenced  and  guided  by 
you.  I  have  done  things  in  my  life  which  would 
shock  you,  no  doubt — perhaps  I  may  shock  you  here 
after  ;  but  if  you  love  me  enough  to  give  me  your 
consent  to  the  favor  I  ask  1  will  try  to  make  you 
a  good  husband,  and  not  prove  unworthy  of  you." 

Rose  drooped  her  head,  and  her  trembling  hands 


100  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

were  fluttering  about  the  ribbons  upon  her  dress. 
Rick  regarded  her  with  hungry  eyes  for  a  moment 
and  then  drawing  nearer,  stole  an  arm  around  her 
waist. 

"I  am  asking  much  I  know,"  he  said.  "A  hard 
question  to  answer,  is  it  not,  dear  ?  I  waited  all  last 
summer  for  an  opportunity  to  ask  it,  little  dreaming 
why  you  were  so  hedged  in.  Think  how  long  I  have 
waited,  and  how  empty  my  arms  have  felt  all  these 
months  since  I  have  longed  for-  the  sweet  privilege  of 
imprisoning  you  within  them  at  will.  They  will  not 
prove  unkind  jailers  either.  Think  a  moment  and 
your  answer  will  be  easy  after  all.  If  you  love  me. 
surely  it  is  not  hard  to  say  yes  ;  but  if  you  do  not, 
let  not  the  thought  of  giving  me  pain  hinder  you 
from  saying  no.  I  want  you,  Rose,  but  not  without 
your  heart.  Is  it  mine  ?" 

She  looked  up  in  his  face  a  moment ;  there  were 
tears  in  her  eyes. 

"  I  thought  you  would  despise  me,"  she  said,  "  be 
cause  I  said  yes  to — some  one  else  once." 

"/  despise  you  ?  Never,  so  long  as  you  remain  as 
you  are,  totally  unlike  him.  I  know  how  plausible 
he  seems,  and  that  he  might  deceive  an  angel  from 
heaven.  Has  he  painted  me  so  black  that  you  fear 
me  ?" 

"  No;  oh  no  !  I  do  not  fear  you,  and  I  have  loved 
you  ever  since — oh,  I  do  not  know  when  !"  And  then 
her  face  was  lost  to  mortal  sight  a  moment ;  his  other 
arm  was  around  her  too,  and  his  cheek  was  laid  caress 
ingly  against  her  bright  hair. 

After  she  had  sobbed  a  little  from  excitement  and 
joy,  and  he  had  kissed  away  her  tears  and  soothed  her 
into  something  like  her  usual  calmness,  an  occupation 
so  delightfully  new  to  him,  she  told  him  that  he  had 
been  dear  to  her  from  the  first,  but  Alfred  had  con 
stantly  endeavored  to  instil  into  her  mind  how  fickle 
Rick  was  in  all  his  attachments,  and  that  he  could  not 
resist  flirting  with  all  who  came  in  his  way,  so  she 
came  to  believe  he  was  trifling  with  her.  And  then 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  IOI 

the  shame  she  felt  in  having  given  her  love  to  him 
unsought,  the  fear  that  it  might  be  suspected  or  dis 
covered  had  led  her  to  listen  patiently  to  Alfred's 
story  of  his  pretended  love,  to  pity  him  because  her 
own  heart  ached  hopelessly,  and  at  last  to  give  a 
half-reluctant  consent.  Afterward  shame  kept  her 
silent,  and  when  she  found  Rick  had  asked  for  her 
hand  and  Alfred  had  withheld  the  letter,  and  that 
Alfred  himself  was  false,  she  had  been  glad  to  be  re 
lieved  from  her  engagement  but  felt  that  Rick  was 
lost  to  her  forever. 

And  then  to  re-assure  her,  Rick  told  her  of  his 
love,  baffled  at  every  turn  by  what  he  deemed  her 
coldness  toward  him,  drawing  a  lesson  from  it  of  how 
easily  two  loving  hearts  can  be  estranged  or  divided 
by  the  falseness  of  a  seeming  mutual  friend. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

MISS    NANCY. 

"  I  knowed  it !"  burst  upon  the  lovers'  ears  like  a 
war-whoop  a  few  moments  afterward,  and  looking  up 
they  saw  Aunt  Nancy  standing  in  the  door.  "  I  knowed 
it,"  she>repeated,  "  the  minute  I  sot  my  eyes  on  you, 
that  you'd  come  for  our  Rose." 

"I  suppose,"  laughed  Rick,  "you  are  experienced 
in  such  matters,  and  that  accounts  for  your  being  so 
sharp-sighted  ?" 

"Well,  no,  not  personally,  young  man,  and  you 
know  it.  Massy  sakes  alive  I  ain't  the  kind  the  men 
come  foolin'  round  after.  Look  at  me  now  !  I  ain't 
han'some,  be  I  ?" 

"Really,  since  you  ask  my  opinion  upon  the  sub 
ject,  I  cannot  say  you  are." 

"  Nor  I  ain't  gentle,  be  I,  nor  little,  nor  lovin',  nor 
young?  No,  sir,  I  never  could  cling  like  a  vine  nor 
coo  like  a  dove." 

"  And  yet,"  said  Rick,  "  I  can  fancy  some  good, 
honest  fellow  as  loving  you  for  your  great  big  heart. 


102  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

to  say  nothing  of  your  making  his  mouth  water  with 
thoughts  of  your  custards  and  jellies  and  creams." 

"  Exactly.  Young  man,  you  say  you  come  hun 
dreds  of  miles  to  see  Rose.  Are  you  sure  you  didn't 
come  across  the  blarney-stone  on  your  way  ?  What 
air  you,  anyhow  ?  Be  you  English,  Irish  or  Dutch  ?" 

"  Neither,"  he  answered,  laughing.  "  I  am  an 
American,  lik.e  yourself." 

"I  don't  like  to  misbelieve  you,"  she  said,  "but  if 
you  air  an  American,  it  must  be  an  American  Injin. 
Consaulus  ain't  an  American  name,  either." 

"  You  are  right.  Gonzales  is  a  Spanish  name,  and 
my  ancestors  upon  my  father's  side  were  Spaniards  ; 
but  my  grandmother  was  an  English  woman,  my 
mother  an  American — 

"  Hold  on,  you  are  getting  too  much  mixed  alto 
gether,  and  anyhow,  so  long  as  you  behave  yourself, 
it  don't  matter.  What  I  want  to  know  most  is  how 
soon  you  calkelate  to  take  Rose  away  ?" 

"  How  do  you  know  I  am  going  to  take  her  at  all  ? 
What  if  she  will  not  go  with  me  ?" 

"  Never  you  mind  how  I  know.  I  see  you  look 
tickled  to  death,  and  she  looks  scairt  and  tickled 
both,  and  I  put  my  own  instruction  on  the  case.  I 
spose  you  think  it  ain't  none  o'  my  business,  and  no 
more  it  is,  only,"  planting  herself  upon  a  chair  in  the 
primest  position  possible,  "Miss  Rose  comes  here 
three  or  four  weeks  ago  lookin'  pale  and  sickly  like, 
and  I  sets  to  work  to  nustle  her  up.  And  to  hev  you 
come  and  sperit  her  away  jest  as  she  begins  to  pick 
up  a  little  don't  seem  to  me  quite  fair.  Leastways,  if 
its  fair,  its  rather  hard  on  me." 

"  Never  fear,  Aunt  Nancy,"  said  Rose,  "  I  am  not 
going  to  leave  you  in  a  long,  long  time,"  glancing  at 
Rick  slyly  to  see  how  he  received  the  intelligence. 

"  No,  Aunt  Nancy,"  echoed  Rick,  "  she  isn't  going 
in  some  little  time,  but  I'm  going  to  stay  until  she 
does  go,"  looking  in  turn  at  Rose  to  see  how  the 
news  was  received. 

"  Lordy,  massy  !"  ejaculated   Miss  Nancy — with  a 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  103 

wave  of  the  hand  which  was  meant  to  be  tragical, 
and  which  utterly  demolished  two  or  three  tea-cups 
upon  the  little  three-legged  stand  near,  which,  in  the 
absence  of  vases,  Rose  had  pressed  into  service  as 
bouquet-holders — "accordin*  to  that,"  stooping  with 
a  swoop  to  gather  up  the  fragments,  but  otherwise 
quite  undisturbed,  "  Miss  Rose  might  as  well  pack 
up  to  once  for  all  I  shall  see  of  her,  except  I  hang 
around  for  the  sake  of  watchin'  the  billin'  and  cooin' 
that'll  be  sure  to  be  goin'  on." 

"  Oh,  aunty,"  said  Rose,  "  now  don't  be  cross, 
there's  a  dear  woman.  We  will  not  trouble  you  in 
the  way  you  speak  of,  never  fear."  . 

"  And  if  we  do,"  interposed  Rick,  "  you  must  be 
lenient,  remembering  how  it  was  when  you  were 
courted  yourself." 

"Me?"  in  blank  amazement.  "Why,  I  never  had 
but  one  man  come  to  see  me  in  all  my  blessed  life  ! 
He  was  a  widderer,  and  he  wanted  somebody  to  look 
after  his  young  ones  and  his  house.  '  My  dear  Miss 
Nancy,'  says  he,  and  I  knowed  in  a  minute  what  was 
comin',  and  says  I,  '  Git  out !'  Well,  he  went  right 
on.  '  Now,  my  dear  Miss  Bailey,'  says  he,  rather 
more  respectful,  '  don't  condemn  me  unheard,  as  it 
were.'  'Git  out!'  says  I  again,  and  as  he  didn't 
pay  no  'tention  I  ups  and  gits  the  broomstick,  and 
he  got  out." 

"  How  dreadfully  unkind  of  you,"  said  Rick. 
"  Did  the  man  survive  such  treatment  ?" 

"  Yes,  and  he's  kept  on  survivin'  ever  sense.  He 
got  married  to  Till  Houselander  in  less'n  two  weeks 
after,  and  she  seems  to  survive  as  well  as  he  does,  so 
there  ain't  any  prospect  of  his  comin'  round  again. 
But  here  I  am  a  dawdlin'  away  my  time  when  my 
custard  is  burnt  to  a  crisp  like  as  not,  and  I  ought  to 
be  settin'  the  table  insted  o'  settin'  here,  an'  you 
a-wishin'  me  fur  enough.  If  I  don't  go  Mariar'll  be 
a-settin  it,  and  she  ain't  able  to  crawl.  I  tell  you 
what,  I'm  a-takin'  good  care  o'  Mariar.  She's  a 
good  woman,  if  she  is  sickly,  and  I  want  her  to  last 


104  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

as  long  as  Dan  does,  'specially  if  I  hang  on,  for  I 
don't  want  no  highflyer  a-comin'  in  and  a-bossin'  me 
around.  Never  you  fear  but  what  I'll  take  good  care 
o'  Mariar,"  as  though  she  thought  it  was  a  fear 
uppermost  in  their  minds.  "  Don't  think,"  she  came 
back  to  say,  after  she  left  the  room,  "  don't  think,  Mr. 
Consaulus,  I  was  mean  enough  to  not  invite  you  to 
tea.  I  expect  I'll  hev  to  put  up  with  you,  and  I  might 
as  well  begin  to  once.  Besides,  if  you  go  I'm  afraid 
Rose  won't  eat  no  supper,  and  I  don't  want  her  to 
lose  her  appetite  agin',"  and  with  that  she  sailed  out 
the  second  time,  intent  upon  getting  up  a  supper  that 
would  make  Rick's  mouth  water,  and  Rose,  knowing 
there  would  still  be  a  half  hour  before  the  meal  was 
ready,  proposed  a  walk  through  the  garden. 

Rick  was  ready  to  assent  to  anything  she  proposed, 
provided  it  did  not  take  her  from  him.  So  they  set 
out,  Rose  tying  on  a  sun  hat  to  shade  her  face,  which 
was  rosy  enough  already — or  attempting  to  tie  it,  for 
Rick  took  the  strings  from  her  hands  to  tie  them 
himself,  and  before  he  had  finished  the  bright  face 
was  far  more  rosy  than  it  would  have  been  if  left  ex 
posed  to  the  sun's  rays.  Then  they  went  out  into  the 
perfumed  air  of  the  clear  June  day,  while  Rick  plan 
ned  to  spend  a  few  weeks  at  the  hotel  at  Ryefield  for 
the  sake  of  enjoying  his  darling's  society  daily,  and 
then  won  from  Rose  a  promise  that  she  would  be 
come  his  wife  early  in  the  following  autumn. 

By  mutual  consent  they  dropped  all  mention  of 
Alfred's  name,  and  so  it  easily  came  about  that  Rick 
was  not  questioned  concerning  Dolores.  Some  day, 
when  Rose  came  to  know  and  trust  him  utterly,  he 
meant  to  tell  her  this  secret,  but  now  he  felt  that  it 
would  shock  her — not  on  account  of  the  girl's  birth, 
but  because  of  the  deception  practiced  ;  and  then, 
too,  it  seemed  wrong  to  place  the  happiness  of  Dolores 
in  danger  by  speaking  of  it  to  any  one.  Not  that  he 
feared  Rose's  discretion  in  the  matter,  but  she  had 
been  sorely  tried,  she  had  much  on  her  mind  already, 
and  it  was  not  worth  while  to  burthen  her  with  any 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  105 

such  secret  at  present.  And  there  was  so  much  else 
to  talk  of ;  the  old,  old  story  was  as  yet  new  to  him,, 
he  must  repeat  it  again  and  again,  even  to  his  prom 
ised  wife.  It  seemed  almost  impossible  that  she  was 
really  his,  that  they  were  walking  side  by  side  with  no 
one  to  interrupt,  except  the  occasional  presence  of 
Miss  Nancy,  who  amused  both  rather  than  otherwise. 
So  when  her  vigorous  summons  to  tea  burst  upon 
their  ears,  they  went  in  at  once  to  receive  her  lecture 
upon  the  subject  of  billing  and  cooing  generally,  and 
theirs  in  particular  ;  but  Rick  won  her  completely  over 
to  his  side  by  praising  her  bountiful  supper — which 
might  have  made  Mandy  pale  with  jealous  anger — 
and  saying  if  Rose  ever  belied  her  name  by  growing 
pale  he  would  know  where  to  go  to  restore  her  roses. 
And  before  the  summer  was  over  Rick  had  no  warmer 
friend  than  Miss  Nancy,  who  declared  with  tears  in 
her  eyes,  if  "  Mariar  "  ever  did  die  and  Dan  married 
an  upstart,  she  would  "pull  up  stakes  and  turn  house 
keeper  for  Miss  Rose." 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

MOTHER     AND     CHILD. 

It  was  May  again,  May  at  Riverton,  such  a  May  as 
the  old  place  had  never  known  before.  An  heir  had 
been  born  to  the  house  of  Hastings — I  had  almost  said 
royal  house — and  though  the  wee  new  comer  was  a 
daughter  instead  of  a  son,  as  Alfred  had  hoped,  she 
was  a  healthy  babe  and  bade  fair  to  inherit  her 
mother's  rare  beauty.  Before  the  birth  of  the  child 
Dolores  had  suffered  untold  fears,  which  were  caused 
by  a  remark  of  Mrs.  Hastings  to  the  effect  that  negro 
blood  could  never  become  pure,  as,  after  generations 
of  admixture  with  white,  it  would  crop  out  suddenly 
and  give  to  apparently  white  parents  a  coal-black, 
thick-lipped  African  child.  From  that  day  this  fear 
was  ever  uppermost  in  the  young  wife's  mind.  She 
grew  nervous,  restless  and  dejected,  yet  this  fact 


106  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

won  for  her  the  devoted  attention  of  friends,  and, 
trying  to  think  only  of  their  kindness,  she  strove  to 
forget  the  fears  which  troubled  her  so  sorely  ;  but  if 
able  to  do  this  for  a  time  they  only  returned  with 
double  force. 

But  after  the  little  daughter  was  born  and  proved 
to  be  a  fair  and  perfectly  formed  child,  Dolores,  who 
had  grown  weak  and  exhausted  through  constant 
fear,  now  felt  serenely  content  with  new  hopes  and 
dreams  that  fill  the  hearts  of  happy  mothers,  and  to 
her,  after  the  season  of  anxiety  through  which  she 
had  passed,  they  were  peculiarly  sweet.  To  have  a 
child  born  so  sheltered,  so  protected,  to  think  it 
would  never  be  subject  to  the  insult  and  shame  and 
wrong  which  had  been  the  birthright  portion  of  her 
mother  and  her  mother's  mothers  before  her,  the 
bitter  portion  which  had  also  been  her  lot,  but  which, 
by  the  working  of  a  miracle,  was  her's  no  more — ah, 
this  was  well  worth  all  the  anguish  of  mind  through 
which  she  had  passed. 

It  was  such  a  dear,  wonderful,  pink  morsel  of  a 
baby,  with  bright  round  eyes  that  could  from  the 
first  bear  the  light  ;  the  least  bit  of  a  mouth,  no  nose 
to  speak  of,  and  hands  already  dimpled,  which  were 
always  tightly  closed — an  indication  of  mental  apti 
tude,  so  the  old  ladies  said  ;  while  the  small  pink  feet 
were  the  wonder  of  all  the  children  who  were  fortu 
nate  enough  to  be  permitted  to  gaze  upon  them. 
Dolores  watched  everything  with  a  sort  of  worshipful 
earnestness  which  pertained  in  any  way  to  the  child, 
and  was  never  satisfied  when  it  happened  to  be  a  mo 
ment  out  of  her  sight.  She  lay  with  it  upon  her  arm 
constantly,  caring  for  nothing  except  to  be  allowed 
to  lie  thus  quietly,  and  beguile  the  time  in  dreaming 
dreams  which  were  to  come  true  when  the  child  had 
grown  to  maidenhood.  For  the  present  she  had  no 
interest  in  the  life  of  the  outer  world,  for  she  lived 
in  a  world  of  her  own.  The  sun  might  rise  and  set, 
but  she  did  not  heed  whether  it  was  night  or  day. 
Society  people,  among  whom  she  had  once  shone  a 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  107 

bright,  particular  star,  might  go  on  devising  plans  for 
the  pleasantest  method  for  killing  time,  but  it  was 
nothing  to  her.  The  choosing  of  a  name  for  the 
babe  roused  her  a  trifle. 

"  Shall  we  call  her  Dolores  ?"  asked  Alfred,  as  he 
sat  by  the  couch  where  lay  mother  and  child. 

"Oh,  no,"  she  answered  quickly.  "Why  give  her 
such  a  name  ?  Her  lot  must  not  be  a  sorrowful  one." 

"  No,  but  we  might  give  her  a  sad  name  as  a  charm 
against  trouble.  Surely  yours  has  been  this.  But 
you  shall  name  her  what  you  please.  Have  you  a 
preference  for  any  in  particular?" 

"I  hardly  know,"  hesitatingly;  "only,  as  Rick  Gon- 
zales  wrote  me  after  his  marriage  how  happy  he  was 
with  his  Rose,  it  struck  me  how  beautiful  was  her 
name,  and  I  think  I  would  like  to  give  it  to  our  baby, 
if  you  do  not  object." 

Alfred  started,  and  exchanged  significant  looks  with 
his  mother,  who  sat  near. 

"  For  my  part,"  he  said,  "  I  do  not  like  the  name, 
for,  though  Rick's  wife  is  a  distant  cousin  of  mine, 
we  are  not  on  friendly  terms.  She  is  a  regular  abo 
litionist,  and  is  influencing  Rick  to  all  manner  of  out 
landish  things.  And  it  would  seem  out  of  place  for 
me  to  name  the  child  for  her.  Try  and  think  of 
another  name,  Dolores." 

"  I  had  not  thought  of  any  other,"  she  said,  gently, 
'but  evidently  disappointed,  as  she  turned  her  face  to 
the  wall. 

Alfred  and  his  mother  discussed  the  subject  at  some 
length,  but  Dolores  said  nothing  more,  seeming  to 
have  returned  to  her  former  listless  state.  At  length, 
however,  when  there  was  a  pause  in  their  conversa 
tion,  Dolores  turned  and  said  . 

"  What  ridiculous  things  can  Rick  Gonzales  be 
doing  ?" 

"  Oh,  he  is  making  a  precious  fool  of  himself," 
returned  Alfred.  "  His  slaves  have  to  a  certain  ex 
tent  intermarried  with  those  of  his  neighbors',  and 
Rose,  who  is  acting  as  a  sort  of  missionary,  cannot 


108  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

abide  divided  families  among  their  people.  So  Rick 
has  bought  husbands,  wives  and  children  where  he 
could  to  complete  his  numerous  sets  of  happy  fami 
lies,  and  where  he  could  not  purchase  he  has  sold  or 
exchanged  his  own,  and  greatly  to  his  disadvantage, 
to  complete  the  darkey  circle  upon  other  plantations. 
He  has  an  unusually  long  purse,  I  know,  and  can 
afford  to  indulge  Rose  in  all  her  reasonable  wants, 
but  such  amusements  are  unusually  expensive.  That 
is  one  reason  why  I  don't  wish  to  name  our  child 
Rose.  Rick  might  look  at  it  in  the  light  of  a  con 
cession  from  me." 

"  But  is  she  the  only  Rose  in  the  world  ?"  Dolores 
asked.  "  No  matter  what  name  we  might  choose,  if 
we  searched  the  world  over  we  might  find  bad  women 
who  bore  it  before  our  child  was  born,  and  others 
quite  as  bad  will  bear  it  after  she  dies." 

•'  There,"  said  Alfred,  soothingly,  for  Dolores 
showed  symptoms  of  excitement,  "  we  will  say  no 
more  about  it  now  ;  by  and  by,  when  you  are  stronger, 
we  will  decide,  and  no  doubt  you  will,  as  usual,  do  as 
you  please.  When  shall  we  have  the  christening, 
mother?" 

"  I  think  when  she  is  a  month  old  will  be  a  good* 
time.  No  doubt,  Dolores  will  be  quite  recovered 
then,  and  by  the  ist  of  June  the  air  will  be  milder 
and  the  weather  settled.  Don't  you  think  that  will 
be  a  good  time,  Dolores,  my  dear?" 

"  Certainly,"  she  responded,  and  here  the  matter 
dropped  for  the  time. 

Meanwhile  Dolores  remained  listless  and  drooping  ; 
she  seemed  to  have  a  reaction  after  her  first  peaceful 
feelings,  and  began  again  to  be  racked  with  doubt. 
Suppose,  after  all,  something  occurred  to  expose  her 
secret.  Rick  might  not  have  destroyed  those  fatal 
papers  which  would  tell  the  story  of  her  former 
bondage  did  they  chance  to  fall  into  other  hands,  and 
how  dreadful  it  would  be  to  have  some  such  ghost 
rise  from  the  dead  past  and  confront  her,  hurling 
her  down  from  her  present  height  into  the  depths  of 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  109 

slavery  once  more.  Perhaps  Rick's  wife  might  learn 
of  it  and  condemn  the  action  which  made  the  outcast 
a  happy  wife.  For  herself  she  was  not  conscience- 
stricken  in  regard  to  what  she  had  done.  "  I  am 
worthy  of  my  husband,"  she  said,  "  and  since  I  have 
filled  my  position  in  such  a  manner  that  all  accord  me 
honor,  I  am  worthy  of  that  too."  Many  things  in 
Alfred's  disposition  and  character  had  disappointed 
her  during  the  past  year.  She  found  he  could  be 
unjust  and  unkind  whenever  it  served  his  selfish  pur 
pose  to  be  so,  and  this,  too,  in  the  face  of  a  most 
prosperous  year.  It  was  near  the  beginning  of 
another  Presidential  campaign,  and  he  was  becoming 
absorbed  in  politics,  and  though  Dolores  in  secret 
dissented  from  his  opinions,  she  was  glad  that  some 
thing  apart  from  her  took  up  a  portion  of  his  time. 
But  it  was  near  the  day  set  for  the  christening,  and 
still  Dolores  lay  with  the  child  upon  her  arm,  always 
watching  its  tiny  face  while  it  lay  softly  sleeping. 
There  seemed  no  reason  why  she  should  not  rally, 
and  Alfred  began  to  insist  upon  her  sitting  up  more, 
trying  to  bribe  her  by  consenting  to  call  the  child 
Rose. 

So  Dolores  rose  from  her  bed  and  dragged  her 
limbs  about  wearily,  seeming  to  have  no  strength, 
but  doing  everything  in  a  languid  and  mechanical  ' 
way.  She  did  not  enter  with  much  spirit  into  the 
preparations  for  the  christening,  though  many  of  her 
most  devoted  friends  were  invited.  The  ceremony 
was  to  take  place  in  the  church,  which  was  half  a 
mile  distant,  and  afterward  there  was  to  be  a  select 
party  of  friends  at  the  house.  Upon  the  day  previous 
Alfred  insisted  upon  taking  his  wife  out  to  ride  ;  so, 
leaving  the  child  with  Sue,  who  was  devoted  to  it 
and  to  its  mother,  Dolores  went  with  him.  But  in 
stead  of  giving  her  new  strength,  as  Alfred  declared 
it  would,  it  proved  unusually  fatiguing,  and  in  addi 
tion  to  this  Dolores  caught  cold.  The  next  day  she 
was  quite  ill,  but  as  Alfred  had  counted  so  much 
upon  the  christening,  and  angrily  chided  her  for 


1  10  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

having  no  spirit,  she  rose  again,  making  no  sign 
that  she  was  suffering.  She  dressed  in  a  most  charm 
ing  costume,  with  Sue's  assistance — a  gray  silk  with 
delicate  pink  facings — and  when  the  ceremony  was 
over  sat  with  a  smiling  face,  the  little  bundle  of 
lace  and  flannel  upon  her  knee,  while  she  received 
the  congratulations  of  her  friends.  Alfred  was  very 
proud  of  her  that  day,  for  her  white  transparent 
complexion,  her  grave,  sweet  smile,  and  her  new, 
motherly,  matronly  air  made  her  strangely  beautiful. 

But  when  the  last  guest  had  departed  Dolores 
gave  the  child  into  Sue's  hands,  and  then  rising,  she 
turned  to  her  husband. 

"  I  think  I  am  dying,"  she  said,  putting  out  her 
hands  toward  him,  and  before  he  could  reach  her  she 
fell  in  a  dead  faint  upon  the  floor. 


CHAPTER    XX. 

THE    SECRET    WAKES    AND    CRIES. 

Alfred  took  her  in  his  arms  and  carried  her  to  her 
room,  while  his  mother  and  the  frightened  Sue  ran  for 
restoratives.  For  once  Alfred's  conscience  smote 
him,  for  he  feared  he  had  urged  her  to  excel  herself 
beyond  her  strength,  and  that  the  result  might  be 
fatal.  It  would  be  a  dreadful  blow  to  him  to  lose  his 
beautiful  wife,  for,  search  the  world  over,  he  could 
never  find  another  who  was  so  amiable,  lovely 
and,  above  all,  was  so  universally  admired.  He 
despatched  one  of  the  servants  for  the  family  physi 
cian,  who  soon  arrived,  but  being  employed  by  the 
Hastings  family  not  because  he  was  experienced  and 
skillful,  but  because  he  came  of  a  good  family,  his 
efforts  were  not  marked  with  great  success.  Dolores 
recovered  from  her  faint  before  his  arrival,  but  imme 
diately  upon  taking  the  medicines  he  prescribed  she 
went  into  a  state  of  wild  delirium. 

Alfred  held  her  hand  and  strove  to  soothe  her,  but 
she  scarcely  noticed  him,  muttering  incoherently — 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  Ill 

chiefly  in  Spanish — and  calling  upon  the  Holy  Mother 
for  forgiveness  and  relief  ;  and,  above  all,  entreating 
her  to  save  her  child  from  disgrace.  Alfred  spoke  to 
her  tenderly,  accusing  himself  as  the  cause  of  her 
illness,  and  pleading  his  ignorance  of  her  weak 
condition  as  his  excuse.  She  recognized  him,  bui 
gave  little  heed  to  what  he  was  saying,  until  the 
thought  struck  him  to  address  her  in  Spanish. 
Thanks  to  her  instruction,  he  could  converse  fairly 
in  the  language  now. 

"  Dolores,"  he  said  softly,  ringing  the  changes 
upon  her  name  she  had  always  loved.  "  Dolorita, 
forgive  me.  I  did  not  know  you  were  so  ill ;  indeed, 
dear,  I  did  not  know." 

This  seemed  to  rouse  her,  and  she  turned  and 
looked  him  full  in  the  face. 

"Yes,"  she  said,  "you  did  not  know.  How  could 
you,  when  we  kept  it  a  profound  secret — Rick  and  I." 

For  a  moment  Alfred's  face  grew  strangely  white. 
Sue  sat  a  little  apart,  with  their  child  upon  her  lap, 
dozing  over  it,  but  he  knew  she  did  not  know  a  word 
of  Spanish,  and  therefore  could  not  understand.  Mrs. 
Hastings  had  retired,  no  one  could  hear.  But  what 
did  he  tear  ?  Why,  Dolores  was  delirious  and  did  not 
know  what  she  was  saying.  How  absurd  for  him  to 
attach  any  importance  to  her  words.  Still  they  visibly 
affected  him  they  were  uttered  so  naturally,  and, 
above  all,  mentioned  Rick,  whom  he  had  cause  to 
fear.  He  bent  over  his  wife  once  more. 

"  Darling,"  he  whispered,  and  his  lips  were  very 
white,  "  what  did  I  not  know  ?" 

"  The  secret,"  she  repeated,  "  the  secret.  I  have 
kept  it  a  long  time,  Alfred,  a  thousand  years  it  is  now, 
and  I  must  keep  it  a  thousand  more.  Ah,  yes,"  with 
a  deep  sigh,  "you  will  never  know." 

For  a  moment  he  tried  to  believe  that  her  words 
were  only  the  senseless  repetition  of  a  dream,  or 
some  trifling  occurrence  floating  disconnectedly 
through  her  mind.  But  why  did  she  say  "  Rick 
and  I  ?"  What  had  Rick  to  do  with  any  secret,  real 


112  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

or  fancied,  which  she  might  possess  ?  "I  have  been 
too  divinely  happy,"  he  said.  "  I  might  have  known 
it  was  a  dream,  and  I  would  waken  at  some  future 
time  to  a  dread  reality." 

"  What  had  Rick  to  do  with  the  secret,  dear  ?"  he 
asked  at  length,  still  in  Spanish. 

"  Ah,  that  is  the  mystery,"  she  quickly  replied, 
"and  it  is  a  great  mystery — it  is  a  miracle." 

"But  tell  me  this  mystery,"  he  urged,  "  that  I  may 
understand  it  with  you — tell  your  own  husband, 
Dolores." 

"Why,  I  might  shout  it  from  the  house-tops,"  she 
said,  "  I  might  publish  it  far  and  near,  so  long  as  you 
did  not  find  it  out  ;  but  to  you,  of  all  the  world,  I 
must  not  tell  it  or  everything  would  be  lost." 

More  and  more  haggard  grew  his  look,  deeper  and 
more  tense  the  lines  of  pain  about  his  mouth.  Again 
and  again  he  urged  her  to  tell  him,  but  she  only  re 
peated,  "  Not  you,  of  all  the  world  ;  not  you." 

At  last  he  rose  and  went  to  Sue,  who  sprang  up 
guiltily  from  her  doze  and  gazed  terrified  into  her 
master's  livid  face. 

"Hush!"  he  said,  "you  are  sleepy  and  may  lie 
down.  I  will  watch  until  morning.  No,  she  is  not 
worse,"  motioning  toward  the  bed,  "but  I  am  too 
anxious  to  rest  just  now.  Give  me  the  child,  she 
may  waken  and  miss  it." 

The  woman  obeyed,  and  rejoicing  because  her 
master  seemed  so  devoted  to  her  beloved  mistress, 
went  into  the  adjoining  room  and  threw  herself  down 
to  slumber.  Alfred  took  the  babe  to  his  wife's  bed 
side,  but  Dolores  muttered  a  few  indistinct-  words 
and  then  fell  into  a  stupor.  He  watched  her  fitful 
slumbers,  trying  to  find  in  his  own  mind  a  solution  of 
the  mystery,  if  mystery  there  could  really  be.  He 
went  over  their  married  life  day  by  day,  seeking  for 
some  flaw  in  his  wife's  deportment  and  life,  but  could 
recall  nothing  but  the  most  loyal  acts,  the  most 
womanly  and  discreet  behavior  from  first  to  last. 
Then  he  fell  to  wondering  if  aught  could  be  wrong 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  113 

between  Rick  and  Dolores,  and  dissecting  also  the 
days  of  his  wooing  he  could  find  neither  glimpse  of 
love  or  hatred  between  the  two,  only  complete  indif 
ference.  How  could  he  ever  find  out  ?  For  he  was 
convinced  that  if  anything  really  were  wrong  he  must 
discover  it  while  his  wife  was  ill  and  off  her  guard, 
for,  since  she  had  so  successfully  concealed  it  from 
him  in  the  past,  she  would  continue  to  baffle  him  in 
the  future.  But  now  she  stirred  uneasily  and  spoke 
again  in  a  rambling,  incoherent  manner,  still  seeming 
quite  out  of  her  .mind.  He  laid  the  babe  beside  her. 

"  Dolores,"  he  said,  softly,  "  here  is  our  little  child. 
Tell  her  the  secret,  darling.  Surely  you  would  not 
deceive  her  ?" 

"  In  nothing  else,  Alfred,  but  in  this  thing  always," 
caressing  the  child  ;  "  because  if  she  knew  the  truth 
she  would  not  love  me  as  soon  as  she  came  to  under 
stand  it  fully,  and  that  I  could  not  bear.  I  might 
endure  your  scorn,  Alfred,  but  if  she  despised  me  it 
would  kill  me !" 

Still  he  entreated  her,  and  she  became  more  and 
more  restless  in  consequence,  so  much  so  that  she 
woke  the  babe.  At  once,  however,  she  began  to 
soothe  it  to  slumber  in  the  most  natural  manner,  mur 
muring  half-distinct,  but  endearing  names  in  Spanish. 
As  soon  as  it  slumbered  Alfred  spoke  again. 

"  Hush  !"  she  said,  seeming  greatly  troubled.  "  I 
have  been  a  good  wife  to  you,  Alfred,  always  good 
and  true  ;  don't  fear  otherwise.  You  disturb  my  child 
when  you  are  always  speaking,  you  disturb  my  old 
sorrow — you  disturb  me.  It  is  no  recent  secret,  it  is 
no  recent  sorrow,  but  something  I  buried  far  back  in 
the  past.  I  tried  to  bury  it  out  of  my  sight,  like  we 
do  our  dead,  but  when  you  speak  of  it  you  wake  it 
and  it  cries.  It  cries,  but  not  like  my  little  child 
when  it  wakens — ah,  God — no  !  not  like  that.  It 
is  such  a  dreadful  cry,  worse  than  the  moaning  of  a 
lost  soul.  So,  if  you  love  me,  do  not  wake  it  but  let 
it — and  me — rest." 

Her  words  were  uttered  in  such  a  plaintive  manner 


114  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

Alfred  was  greatly  moved  in  spite  of  himself,  but  the 
spirit  to  know  what  this  secret  could  be  grew  stronger 
and  stronger  within  him  each  moment.  Dolores  slept 
again,  and,  brooding  over  her  words,  he  resolved 
when  she  should  rouse  again  to  renew  his  question 
ings  in  another  way. 

"  Madre  !"  Dolores  exclaimed  at  last,  and  Alfred 
fancied  she  was  beginning  a  prayer  to  the  Virgin  ;  but 
he  listened  attentively,  determined  to  let  no  word  of 
hers  escape  him  until  he  had  fathomed  this  secret, 
however  securely  hidden  it  might  be.  "  Madre,"  she 
repeated,  "  ah,  forgive  me  !  Forgive,  forgive,  if  1 
seemed  to  neglect  even  for  an  hour  thy  despised,  op 
pressed  race,  for  oh,  my  hands  were  tied.  I  could  not 
help  them  more,  without  danger  of  my  own  overthrow. 
I  am  making  my  way  secure,  for  I  am  owned  and 
honored  now  by  the  proudest  of  my  father's  race. 
When  I  see  my  way  more  clearly,  when  my  own  steps 
become  strong,  I  will  reach  out  my  hand  to  thy  peo 
ple.  So  far  have  I  not  done  well  ?  I  have  thought 
less  of  my  own  pleasure  than  I  seemed — I  only  wished 
to  know  if  I  could  not  act  my  part  as  nobly  as  any 
free-born  lady  in  the  land.  Rejoice  with  me,  madre, 
for  I  have  accomplished  it.  Born  in  abject  bondage, 
with  the  shackles  of  slavery  about  my  path,  if  not 
upon  my  very  limbs,  I  have  been  able  to  cast  them 
aside,  and  now  I  touch  hands  and  lips  with  those  who 
count  themselves  the  choicest  of  God's  favorite  peo 
ple  ;  aye,  and  they  have  bowed  before  me,  acknowl 
edging  my  superiority  over  them  !" 

In  the  wildest  torture,  but  with  every  nerve  braced 
in  order  to  appear  calm,  Alfred  stretched  his  ear  to 
catch  her  words.  She  now  began  to  speak  indistinctly  ; 
he  could  distinguish  fragments  of  prayer,  fond  mur- 
murings  to  her  child,  and  low  whispers  concerning  the 
heaviness  of  the  secret  which  she  must  keep  forever, 
but  which  would  wake  and  cry.  Then  she  slept 
again,  and  Alfred  rose  from  his  place  by  her  bedside 
mad  and  blind. 

"  Born  in  bondage  !"  he  repeated,  wildly  ;  "  born  in 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  115, 

the  shackles  of  slavery — ah,  God  !  what  have  I  done? 
It  is  Rick's  work,  it  is  his  revenge.  And  I  have  mar 
ried  a  slave  !  No,  that  cannot  be,  or  the  marriage 
would  never  bind  me.  But  stay,  it  is  Rick's  work, 
and  it  is  binding  ;  he  would  arrange  all  that.  But 
her  fortune — ah,  I  see  !  Would  he  pause  at  the  price 
of  a  few  thousands  when  they  would  purchase  such 
a  revenge  ?  Fool  I  was  to  ever  measure  swords  with 
him.  Why,  she  may  be  one  of  his  own  slaves — nearer 
kin  to  him  than  he  would  care  to  acknowledge.  And 
I  have  married  her — have  given  her  my  noble  name — 
the  name  of  Hastings  !  Worse,  she  is  the  mother  of 
my  child,  my  lawful  child.  Oh,  my  God,  my  God  I 
grant  that  neither  may  ever  rise  from  the  couch  upon 
which  they  lie  !" 

He  wiped  the  perspiration  from  his  forehead  ;  he 
rushed  to  the  open  window  gasping  for  breath.  He 
glanced  toward  the  bed  where  lay  his  wife  and  child, 
muttering  deep  curses  upon  both.  He  cursed  Risk 
and  the  day  that  he  was  born,  threw  himself  face 
downward  upon  the  floor,  gnashing  his  teeth  in  des 
pairing  rage,  and  then  springing  to  his  feet  he  fled 
from  the  house  as  though  there  was  pestilence  within 
its  walls,  never  pausing  until  it  lay  at  least  a  mile  be 
hind  him,  and  he  had  reached  a  small  brook  or  run 
which  was  skirted  by  a  few  trees.  He  turned  to  look 
at  them,  and  the  poplars  seemed  to  stand  bolt  up 
right  as  though  in  astonished  horror,  while  the  willows 
bent  and  shook  as  if  in  half-suppressed  glee.  The 
wind  sighed  through  them  "  How  is  your  wife  ?"  and 
the  birds  woke  and  laughed  jeeringly,  "  Ha,  ha  !" 

"  Curse  you  all  !"  he  cried,  and  the  poplars  stood 
more  sternly  erect  than  before,  the  willows  shook  in 
diabolical  mirth,  and  the  brook  murmured,  "The 
secret,  the  secret  !"  He  turned  toward  the  stream 
angrily,  and  a  frog  who  was  sitting  upon  its  banks 
glared  at  him  with  solemn  unwinking  eyes,  and 
croaked,  "  I  know,  I  know  !"  and  the  birds  in  the 
trees  above  still  laughed  "  Ha,  ha  !" 

"  Am  I  insane  ?"  he  cried,  "  or  is  this  a  terrible 


Il6  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

nightmare  ?  Will  I  wake  again  and  find  myself  living 
the  old  life — the  dear,  happy  old  life — or  is  this  but 
the  beginning  of  the  hell  in  store  for  me  ?  Ah,  well 
I  know  it  is  no  dream,  but  how  can  I — how  can  I 
ever  face  the  world  again  ?  I,  who  have  schemed, 
and  planned,  and  spared  nothing  which  stood  in  the 
path  to  redeem  my  home  and  keep  the  name  of  Hast 
ings  in  high  honor — for  this  result  !  To  find  myself 
legally  bound  to  a  low-born,  accursed  slave!  My 
name  dishonored  !  But  wait  ;  who  knows  it  ?"  And 
the  birds  chirped  again  "  Ha,  ha  !" 

"  Perhaps,"  he  muttered  by  and  by,  "all  is  not  yet 
lost.  No  one  knows  the  secret  but  Dolores,  Rick,  and 
I.  They  will  not  tell  it,  neither  will  I  ;  so  what  do  I 
fear  ?  I  must  get  her  and  the  child  both  out  of  the 
way,  and  at  once.  No  one  will  suspect  me  and  I  am 
rid  of  all  trouble.  My  home  is  my  own,  my  name  will 
be  free  from  suspicion  of  taint,  and  I  shall  win  and 
wed  some  wife  whom  I  have  known  from  her  cradle 
up.  What  a  fool  I  was  to  cry  that  all  is  lost !  Noth 
ing  shall  be  lost,  and  I  will  triumph  over  Rick  yet." 

For  another  hour  he  sat  forming  his  plans,  and  then 
he  rose  and  hurried  home.  He  entered  the  house 
softly  ;  it  was  still  early  and  no  one  was  astir.  Sue 
was  sleeping  soundly,  and  Dolores  lay  clasping  the 
child  to  her  breast  and  murmuring  that  her  secret 
would  not  rest,  but  that  it  constantly  waked  and 
cried.  

CHAPTER  XXI. 

A    SOOTHING    DRAUGHT. 

"  Mother,"  Alfred  said  at  the  breakfast  table  a  few 
hours  later,  "  I  believe  the  medicines  we  obtain  from 
the  druggist  here  are  very  impure.  Poor  Dolores  was 
talking  incoherently  and  muttering  in  Spanish  half 
the  night,  and  I  cannot  believe  she  is  really  ill  enough 
to  produce  so  much  delirium.  I  propose  to  take  Jake 
and  go  to  Warrenton  and  make  a  purchase  of  drugs 
and  medicines  of  various  sorts  to  have  for  family 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  117 

use.  If  Dr.  Mason  objects,  why  there  are  other  physi 
cians  in  the  place.  I  am  not  at  all  satisfied,  and  believe 
if  Dolores  had  received  the  proper  remedies  and 
attention,  that  is,  medical  advice,  she  would  have  been 
well  long  ere  this." 

"  Why,  Alfred,  what  a  coincidence  !  It  only  shows 
that  our  minds  seem  to  run  in  the  same  channel,  as 
usual.  Only  last  night  after  I  retired  the  same  thing 
occurred  to  me.  Get  the  medicines  by  all  means  if 
you  feel  able  to  go  after  watching  all  the  night.  What 
a  devoted  husband  you  are,  my  son  ;  you  look  posi 
tively  haggard  with  all  your  watching  and  anxiety.  If 
you  wish  I  will  take  Jake  and  go  in  your  place." 

"  Oh  no,  mother,  there  is  no  need  ;  besides,  if  any 
thing  occurred  you  would  know  better  how  to  act 
than  I  would.  If  you  please  you  may  order  Jake  to 
bring  the  carriage  around  in  fifteen  minutes  and  I 
will  set  out  at  once." 

Alfred  went  up  to  his  room  to  write  out  a  memor 
andum  and  prepare  for  the  ride. 

"  It  would  look  more  regular,  open  and  business 
like  if  I  put  everything  down  upon  a  memorandum," 
he  said.  "  This,  with  my  other  purchases,  will  avert 
any  suspicion — I  mean,  supposing  1  should  be  sus 
pected,  which  is  altogether  improbable.  However,  I 
must  go  to  work  guardedly  ;  it  would  never  do  for  me 
to  purchase  a  poison  near  at  home." 

He  sat  down  at  a  table  in  the  opposite  part  of  the 
room  from  where  the  bed  was  and  with  a  nervous 
hand  began  to  note  down  his  wants.  He  put  down 
first,  rhubarb  ;  second,  epsom  salts ;  third,  castor 
oil  ;  fourth,  laudanum ;  fifth,  morphine  ;  sixth,  spirits 
of  camphor  ;  and  seventh,  arsenic.  As  he  was  very 
precise  in  anything  of  this  sort  he  added  the  date, 
and  then,  just  as  about  to  throw  down  his  pen,  he 
dropped  a  blot  of  ink  over  the  word  camphor.  Utter 
ing  an  angry  ejaculation  he  tossed  the  sheet  aside  and 
began  another,  and  when  this  was  completed  he  folded 
it  carefully,  putting  it  in  his  vest  pocket.  Then  he 
looked  furtively  about  him,  but  Sue  was  sitting  by  the 


«l8  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

bed  apparently  observing  nothing,  and  taking  the 
first  memorandum  up  he  twisted  it  and  threw  it  into 
the  fireplace,  which  was  ready  for  a  fire  to  be  lighted 
in  case  of  need,  as  had  often  happened  since  the  birth 
of  little  Rose.  Then  making  the  necessary  changes 
.in  his  clothing  he  hurried  away. 

It  was  some  hours  before  he  returned,  and  when 
he  did  his  mother  remarked  that  he  looked  paler,  if 
possible,  than  when  he  set  out.  Dolores  was  better, 
she  informed  him — was  clothed  in  her  right  mind — 
and  it  was  really  a  pretty  sight  to  see  how  affec 
tionate  and  devoted  she  was  to  her  dear  little  babe. 
Alfred  listened  gloomily  until  she  came  to  the  last, 
and  then  he  forced  a  smile. 

"  My  dear  boy,"  said  his  mother,  "you  must  take 
some  rest  or  you'll  be  ill  yourself.  Your  smile  is 
positively  ghastly." 

"  Is  it  ?"  he  asked,  wearily.  "  To  tell  the  truth, 
mother,  I  am  almost  sick.  I  received  a  dreadful 
shock  last  night  when  I  found  what  a  state  Dolores 
seemed  to  be  in.  Do  you  think  her  very  much 
better  ?" 

"Decidedly,"  Mrs.  Hastings  replied.  "And  that 
reminds  me  of  a  shocking  case  I  heard  of  to-day 
through  Mrs.  Hoyt,  who  called  during  your  absence. 
A  man  a  little  further  up  the  valley  (I  really  cannot 
recall  his  name)  poisoned  his  wife  a  few  days  since." 

Alfred  started  guiltily. 

"Poisoned  his  wife  !"  he  said.     "  How  dreadful  !" 

"Dreadful  indeed,  my  dear.  I  knew  you  would 
be  as  greatly  shocked  as  I  was,  for  we  usually  think 
and  feel  alike  in  most  matters.  And  he  was  a  man 
in  good  circumstances  too,  of  a  respectable  family 
and  all  that." 

"  And  the  cause  ?"  gasped  Alfred. 

"  Jealousy — the  usual  cause  in  such  cases.  Now, 
my  dear,  go  at  once  and  lie  down  ;  you  look  posi 
tively  faint." 

"  In  a  moment,  mother,"  speaking  very  slowly. 
"  And  the  man  confessed,  you  say?" 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  119 

"  No,  indeed,  or  at  least  not  until  the  evidence  was 
so  strong  he  felt  his  conviction  to  be  a  sure  thing.  It 
seems  that  he  purchased  poison  about  the  time  she 
died  under  pretence  of  poisoning  rats,  when  it  was 
proved  that  there  were  none  of  the  dreadful  things 
about.  Then  he  mixed  the  poison — it  was  arsenic,  I 
believe — with  his  wife's  food,  and  a  portion  which  she 
did  not  eat  was  given  to  a  dog,  which  died  immedi 
ately.  His  conduct,  too,  was  very  strange,  which  first 
led  to  his  being  suspected.  And  there  were  several 
other  little  items  of  circumstantial  evidence  which, 
when  put  together,  made  a  very  strong  case.  Lastly, 
they  had  his  wife's  stomach  examined  and  it  was 
found  to  contain  a  great  quantity  of  arsenic.  My 
son  !  are  you  going  to  faint  ?  Dinah,  oh  !  Dinah, 
bring  the  camphor,  quick  !  No  matter,"  as  Alfred 
waved  her  away.  "  But  I  did  think  you  were  going 
to  faint,  my  son.  Do  lie  down  at  once  here  upon  my 
bed." 

He  was  glad  to  follow  her  advice,  being  too  weak 
to  sit  up  longer  ;  so  he  lay  for  some  time,  not  sleep 
ing,  as  she  supposed,  he  was  so  still,  but  trying  to 
quiet  his  own  fears  of  discovery  and  summon  cour 
age  to  carry  out  the  act  he  contemplated  doing  that 
night.  At  length  Dr.  Mason  called,  whereupon 
Alfred  rose  and  entered  into  a  long  discussion  with 
him  upon  the  subject  of  medicines,  pure  and  impure, 
and  their  effects,  suggesting,  if  the  physician  found 
it  necessary  to  again  prescribe  morphine,  that  he 
make  up  the  powder  from  that  purchased  by  himself 
that  day.  Seeming  somewhat  vexed  because  the  po 
tency  of  his  drugs  was  called  in  question  the  doctor 
did  so,  bowed  stiffly  and  departed,  expressing  his 
opinion  afterward  to  the  effect  that  Alfred  Hastings 
was  as  great  a  fool  over  his  wife  as  any  man  it  was 
ever  his  misfortune  to  meet. 

When  the  evening  meal  was  over  Alfred  went  up 
to  his  wife's  room.  He  did  not  kiss  her  as  usual,  but 
he  sat  down  by  'her  bedside,  inquired  affectionately 
concerning  her  and  the  child,  passing  his  hand  caress- 


120  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

ingly  over  her  hair  while  he  talked,  and  Dolores, 
faint  and  tired  now  the  fever  was  gone,  failed  to 
observe  anything  wrong  in  his  manner.  Sue  was 
hovering  about,  putting  away  dishes  and  vials,  when 
Alfred  came  to  the  fireplace  and  began  searching 
about  the  wood  which  was  laid  across  the  great  brass 
andirons — searching  for  something  which  was  evi 
dently  hard  to  find,  for  he  laid  the  wood  aside  and 
then  gathered  up  the  kindlings  carefully. 

"  Sue,"  he  said,  "  I  threw  away  a  paper  this  morn 
ing  which  I  may  need.  Have  you  seen  anything  of  it  ?" 

"No,  Mas'r  Alfred — dat  is — lemme  see.  Dat  tor 
ment  of  a  Pete  he  was  up  heah  dis  mornin';  he  jes' 
cut  his  rfand  somehow,  and  nuffin  would  do  but  I 
had  ter  put  a  plastah  on  it.  So  I  lit  de  candle  to 
wa'm  de  plastah,  and  de  match  I  strick  neah  went 
out  afoah  de  candle  was  lit.  So  I  cotch  a  piece  of 
papah  off  the  back  log,  all  twisted  up  like,  and  I  lit 
dat  from  de  match,  while  I  prick  de  candle-wick  twell 
it  burnt.  An"  I  'clare,  mas'r,  I'se  dreffle  sorry,  but  Ise 
feared  dat  was  de  'denticle  piece  o'  papah  you  is  look 
ing  foah  dis  minute." 

"Yes,"  Alfred  said,  "it  was,"  giving  a  sigh  of  re 
lief  ;  "but  you  must  be  very  careful,  Sue,  not  to  burn 
up  any  of  my  papers,  as  I  sometimes  might  need 
them  even  after  I  threw  them  away." 

"  Takes  it  mighty  easy,"  thought  Sue.  "  Gin'rally  he 
am  ready  to  skin  me  alive  for  de  least  little  ting. 
Cur'ous,  now,  what  gibberish  he's  talkin'.  Shouldn't 
wondah  ef  he's  gittin'  out  o'  his  head  !" 

"  Sue  !"  called  Alfred  soon  after,  for  she  had  re 
tired  to  the  next  room,  "you  had  better  lie  down  and 
sleep  awhile.  I  had  a  short  nap  to-day  and  will  watch 
by  your  mistress  until  bed-time.  If  she  happens  to 
be  wakeful  you  will  be  disturbed  often,  and  so  a  little 
snooze  won't  harm  you.  I  will  give  her  a  powder  be 
fore  I  call  you,  and  then  if  she  seems  restless  you  may 
give  her  another.  I'll  put  them  here  on  the  table  and 
she  must  not  have  them  oftener  than  once  in  three 
hours." 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  121 

"  Berry  well,  Mas'r  Alfred.  I  sartinly  is  tired,  dat 
I  is.  Shell  I  gib  Miss  Dolory  a  powdah  now  ?" 

"  No,  you  fool,  she  must  not  have  any  until  nine 
o'clock,  and  it's  only  seven  now.  Lie  down,  I'll  give 
her  the  first  one  before  I  call  you." 

"Guess  Mas'r  Alfred  is  gittin'  back  his  senses," 
soliloquized  Sue  as  she  threw  a  cushion  upon  the 
floor  in  the  next  room  where  she  could  watch  her 
mistress  through  a  crack  in  the  door.  "  I  allus  is 
oneasy  when  he  speaks  soft-like  ;  I  knows  somefin's 
wrong  den."  And  throwing  herself  upon  the  floor, 
with  the  cushion  under  her  head,  she  was  asleep  in  a 
moment. 

Mrs.  Hastings  came  up  soon  after  and  found  Alfred 
lying  upon  the  lounge,  while  Dolores  was  quietly 
sleeping. 

"  Now,  my  son,"  she  said,  "  you  had  better  retire  at 
once.  I  will  watch  until  eleven,  when  I  will  call  Sue, 
who  will  be  good  for  the  rest  of  the  night  if  she 
sleeps  away  until  that  time  at  the  rate  she  is  going  on 
now.  Sue  is  an  excellent  nurse,  but  she  must  have 
two  or  three  hours  every  night  or  she  is  constantly 
falling  asleep  through  the  day.  Why,  when  little  Rose 
was  only  two  days'  old  I  saw  Sue  going  down-stairs 
slowly,  holding  fast  to  the  railing,  and  by  the  time 
she  reached  the  bottom  stair  she  was  fast  asleep  and 
sank  down  in  a  heap  on  the  lowest  step.  She  actually 
went  to  sleep  standing." 

Alfred  yawned. 

"  Mother,"  he  said,  "  I  will  sit  with  Dolores  until 
nine,  when  I  will  waken  Sue.  What  are  slaves  for 
I'd  like  to  know  if  they  are  to  be  of  no  use  ?  Sue  is 
asleep  and  two  hours  will  be  sufficient  for  her  Go  to 
bed  like  a  dear  little  woman.  I  cannot  bear  to  leave 
my  wife  and  child  a  moment,  and  I  believe  it  will  take 
me  weeks  to  recover  from  last  night's  fright.  Go  ;  I 
promise  to  retire  at  nine  or  shortly  after." 

Thus  counseled,  Mrs.  Hastings  regarded  Dolores 
and  her  child  a  moment,  kissed  her  son  and  went 
down-stairs,  for  the  excitement  of  the  previous  day 


122  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

and  evening,  together  with  having  lost  her  rest  during 
the  early  portion  of  the  previous  night,  had  caused 
her  to  feel  unusually  tired.  Ida  came  rushing  in  a 
few  moments  later  to  kiss  the  baby  good-night,  for, 
being  a  novelty,  the  child  was  in  high  favor  with  her. 
She  received  a  sharp  reprimand  from  her  brother  as 
soon  as  she  put  her  head  within  the  door  for  waking 
baby  and  its  mother  (though  both  slumbered  on),  and 
at  last  Alfred  was  left  alone,  to  his  infinite  relief, 
though  he  began  to  fear  that  some  officious  neighbor 
might  call. 

He  rose  quietly  and  first  glanced  into  the  room 
where  Sue  was  lying,  but  she  had  not  stirred  and  was 
sound  asleep.  Then  he  turned  to  the  bed  where 
Dolores  lay  and  stood  for  some  moments  sharply 
scanning  her  features.  Her  hair  was  very  long,  it 
was  braided  and  thrown  over  the  pillow.  Its  length 
certainly  was  in  her  favor,  but  there  was  a  suspicious. 
wave  in  it  over  her  forehead.  She  was  rarely  beauti 
ful,  that  he  could  not  deny  ;  and  then  he  thought  of 
how  much  she  had  been  admired  in  society.  Perhaps, 
after  all,  it  would  be  better  for  him  to  try  and  go  on 
as  though  nothing  had  happened.  But  no  ;  already 
he  experienced  a  feeling  of  disgust  whenever  he 
looked  upon  her — he  could  never  act  such  a  part. 
Besides,  it  was  best  to  hide  the  secret  now  while  it 
lay  in  his  power  ;  it  would  surely  be  discovered  some 
:ime,  for,  as  Dolores  had  said,  it  would  wake  and  cry. 
It  was  so  easy  to  say  she  had  caught  cold  and  had  a 
relapse  ;  and  then  giving  another  glance  in  the  di 
rection  of  the  half-opened  door  beyond  which  Sue 
was  lying,  he  took  a  glass  from  the  table,  stealthily 
drew  a  package  from  his  pocket  and  began  to  unfold 
it  with  trembling  hands.  He  measured  out  a  certain 
quantity  of  ks  contents,  which  he  put  in  the  glass,  to 
gether  with  a  teaspoonful  of  sugar  ;  then  heating  a 
little  water  over  the  spirit-lamp  he  added  a  small 
quantity  to  the  mixture  in  the  glass,  stirring  well  to 
make  the  powder  dissolve  in  the  smallest  quantity  of 
water  possible.  This  done  he  squeezed  a  few  drops 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  123 

of  lemon  into  it  to  hide  the  taste,  and  set  it  in  the 
window  to  cool. 

Again  he  looked  all  around  him,  made  sure  that  the 
curtains  were  drawn  about  the  windows,  the  door  was 
fast,  and  Sue  still  sleeping.  Then  he  sat  down,  tremb 
ling  in  every  limb,  and  wiped  the  perspiration  from 
his  forehead. 

"  Its  all  right,"  he  said,  to  reassure  himself ;  "  it  is 
an  admirable  time.  Dr.  Mason  would  never  know 
the  difference,  for  he  could  not  explain  her  relapse. 
No  one  will  ever  know." 

Still  he  heard  a  roaring  in  his  ears  he  could  not 
account  for,  and  his  heart  beat  almost  to  suffocation. 
He  wondered  it  did  not  waken  both  Dolores  and  the 
child,  for  its  throbs  seemed  to  fill  the  room  with  sound. 
But  no  one  stirred.  He  heard  his  wife's  faint  but 
regular  breathing,  Sue's  measured  snore,  and  the  clock 
ticked  on.  When  the  mixture  in  the  window  was  cool 
he  took  it,  added  a  morphine  powder  and  stirred  it 
in.  While  thus  engaged  he  gave  a  sudden  start,  think 
ing  some  one  whispered  in  his  ear.  He  looked  around, 
but  saw  no  one.  It  was  only  the  clock,  but  what  was 
it  so  persistently  repeating  ?  "Murderer,  murderer, 
murderer!"  it  said  over  and  over  again,  dividing  the 
syllables  with  wonderful  distinctness.  He  put  down 
the  glass,  and  crossing  the  room  stopped  the  mock 
ing  pendulum.  He  went  back,  but  fearing  it  might 
excite  remark  he  turned  and  set  the  clock  going  again. 
It  was  now  on  the  stroke  of  nine,  and  it  told  off  the 
hour  viciously,  repeating  the  dreadful  word  "  mur 
derer  "  three  times. 

"  What  a  fool  I  am  !"  he  exclaimed  as  he  took  up 
the  glass  containing  the  draught  he  had  mixed. 
"  Dolores  !"  he  called  in  a  low  tone,  bending  over 
her,  the  glass  in  his  right  hand,  his  left  ready  to  raise 
her  up. 

There  was  a  sudden  stir.  Alfred  drew  back  hur 
riedly  and  glanced  wildly  about  the  room,  every  vein 
seeming  on  fire,  so  great  was  his  fright. 

"Oh,  Mas'r  Alfred!"  said  Sue,  "  Ise   so   sorry  I 


J24  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

slep*  so  long.  Wy  you  is  all  tired  out.  Is  it  mos' 
mornin'  ?" 

"  Curse  you  for  an  idiot  !"  cried  Alfred  as  soon  as 
he  could  command  his  voice.  "  I  made  sure  you  were 
a  burglar,  or  something  of  the  sort.  Its  only  nine 
o'clock  and  I  have  just  mixed  the  first  powder  in  a 
little  lemonade.  However,  since  you  are  up  you  may 
remain  and  give  it  to  your  mistress  yourself." 

Sue  took  the  glass  and  was  about  to  administer  it 
when  a  sudden  idea  seemed  to  strike  her. 

"  Dah  ain't  nuffin  to  take  aftah  it,  Mas'r,  to  put  a 
good  taste  in  pore  Miss  Dolory's  mouf.  Whar  dem 
oringes  you  got  to-day?  Dey  is  jes'  de  ting,  an'  dese 
powdahs  is  berry  bittah,  an'  puckah  up  de  mouf  so 
you  can't  mos'  git  it  open  agin  for  a  week." 

"I  quite  forgot,"  said  Alfred;  "you  will  find 
them — or  stay,"  for  he  dreaded  to  approach  the  bed, 
"I'll  get  one  for  you,  Sue,"  and  away  he  went. 

In  a  moment  he  returned,  and  Sue  sat  down  to  peel 
and  quarter  the  orange  deliberately. 

"Come,  you  black  wench,  hurry  up,"  said  Alfred. 
"  I  want  you*  to  give  the  powder  before  I  leave,  so  I 
can  see  she  gets  it  all.  The  dose  is  exactly  right,  and 
if  you  spill  any  of  it  she  will  need  to  take  another." 

Sue  muttered  something  about  its  being  queer  to 
wake  one  up  to  give  a  sleeping  draught,  but  she  mut 
tered  unreproved  for  once,  so  she  took  up  the  glass 
immediately  and,  speaking  to  Dolores  in  a  low  tone, 
raised  her  up. 

" Come,  wake  up,  honey!"  she  said,  "an"  take  a 
drink  of  lemingade.  Its  got  doctah  stuff  in  it,  jes'  a 
mite,  but  you  is  goin'  to  hab  some  orange  jes'  as  quick 
as  you  kin  swaller  it." 

Should  he  stop  her  after  all  ?  He  shook  like  a  leaf 
in  the  wind  but  he  did  not  speak.  He  strained  his 
eyes  to  look,  and  once  Dolores  stopped  to  protest  that 
it  was  bitter  ;  but  Sue  coaxingly  persuaded  her  to 
drink  the  whole,  and  she  did  so,  receiving  the  orange 
after,  which  Sue  fed  her  in  small  pieces. 

"It  is  better  than  the  last,"  she  said — "I  mean  the 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  125 

orange — but  bitter  compared  to  those  we  used  to  have 
at  home,  for  they  ripened  upon  the  trees.  There,  I 
can  eat  no  more.  Are  you  there,  Alfred  ?  Kiss  me 
good-night  and  go  to  your  bed,  I  shall  sleep  well  to 
night." 

He  did  as  she  bade  him  and  went  to  his  room,  but 
returned  a  moment  after 

"Sue,"  he  said,  "wash  out  the  glass  at  once,  it  is 
not  healthy  to  keep  the  smell  of  medicines  about,  they 
are  sickening.  And  don't  give  your  mistress  another 
powder  unless  she  wakes.  I  think  she  will  sleep  well 
to-night." 

CHAPTER   XXII. 

AN    AGREEMENT.      . 

No  sleep  came  to  Alfred's  eyes  that  night.  He 
closed  the  door  that  he  might  not  hear  a  sound,  yet 
he  lay  listening,  listening,  the  whole  night  through. 
Would  Dolores  wake  and  the  house  be  alarmed,  or 
would  the  morphine  keep  her  quiet  until  she  slept  her 
life  away  ?  Once  the  child  cried,  and  he  began  to 
tremble  afresh,  but  it  soon  grew  quiet ;  he  heard  Sue's 
voice,  but  from  Dolores  never  a  sound.  Was  she 
already  dead?  He  felt  an  irresistible  desire  to  rise 
and  leave  the  house  and  the  country  forever.  He 
could  never  go  into  that  room  again ;  he  could 
never  face  the  world.  At  last,  after  what  seemed  an 
eternity,  the  light  of  morning  began  to  creep  through 
the  window.  They  must  call  him  soon  ;  surely  Sue 
could  not  long  remain  in  the  room  with  a  dead  woman. 
Well,  the  longer  the  better  after  the  deed  was  done, 
for  Sue  could  say  he  had  not  been  in  the  room  all 
night.  He  heard  the  woman's  footsteps  at  last ;  they 
went  up  and  down  the  room  again  and  again  ;  she 
spoke  as  if  hushing  the  child.  Would  she  never  dis 
cover  that  her  mistress  was  dead  ? 

"  I  cannot  go  into  that  room  again,"  he  said,  and  a 
moment  after  came  an  overwhelming  desire  to  know 
the  worst,  to  get  rid  of  this  terrible  suspense.  "  I 


126  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

would  not  spend  another  such  a  night  for  all  the 
world,"  he  said,  and  then  he  rose,  dressed  himself 
and  went  in. 

Sue  sat  with  the  child  upon  her  knee  humming  a 
low,  monotonous  song.  He  went  to  the  bed-side,  and 
Dolores  turned  slightly  and  said  "  Good  morning." 
Not  dead,  indeed,  was  she,  but  looking  brighter  than 
she  had  done  for  weeks  and  weeks,  and  all  his  agony, 
all  his  torture  and  suspense  went  for  naught.  She 
was  living,  his  slave  wife,  and  looking  as  though  she 
might  live  on  for  years.  Was  the  arsenic  at  fault? 
Did  the  druggist  suspect  him  and  give  him  instead 
some  harmless  preparation  ?  And  while  he  revolved 
these  things  in  his  mind,  standing  speechless  by  the 
bed,  Dolores  looked  up  into  his  face  and  saw  there  a 
look  she  had  watched  for  tremblingly  in  times  gone 
by — a  look  which  told  her  the  secret  was  hers  no  more. 

After  all  it  was  not  so  much  of  a  shock  as  she  had 
expected.  It  had  lain  heavily  upon  her  mind  of 
late,  and  after  the  first  quick  flash  of  pain  she  felt 
rather  relieved  than  otherwise.  But  with  the  knowl 
edge  that  it  was  known  came  instinctively  a  plan  of 
defence,  and  raising  upon  one  elbow  she  said,  in  her 
usual  voice, 

"  Sue,  bring  little  Rose  to  me." 

Sue  obeyed,  Alfred  standing  by  the  bed  without  a 
word.  The  child  once  safely  within  her  arms, 
Dolores  spoke  again. 

"  You  must  be  very  tired,  my  poor  Sue,"  she  said. 
"  Go  and  lie  down,  I  do  not  need  you  now.  You 
will  have  time  for  an  hour's  sleep  before  anyone  else 
is  stirring  and  when  1  need  you  I  will  call." 

She  could  not  bear  the  suspense  of  waiting  in  her 
present  weak  state.  She  knew  Alfred  had  something 
to  say  to  her  and  she  would  hear  it  now.  One  glance 
at  his  haggard  face  and  bloodshot  eyes  warned  her 
that  as  he  had  suffered  he  would  pour  out  the  vials 
of  his  wrath  upon  her,  but  she  felt  strengthened  to 
bear  whatever  came.  She  had  his  lawful  child  in  her 
arms,  she  felt  fortified  for  any  result. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  1 27 

Faithful  Sue  came  to  the  bed-side,  casting  upon 
her  mistress  affectionate,  protecting  looks,  as  she  ar 
ranged  everything  for  her  comfort  and  placed  what 
ever  Dolores  might  need  within  reach.  Then  she 
went  into  the  adjoining  room  to  lie  down.  Alfred 
did  not  close  the  door  after  her.  He  had  made  up 
his  mind  to  have  an  understanding  with  his  wife,  but 
he  would  speak  to  her  in  Spanish,  and  then  no  one 
could  understand  even  though  they  might  overhear. 
He  threw  himself  in  a  chair  which  stood  near  the 
foot  of  the  bed  because  he  was  too  weak  to  stand, 
and  then  began.  Dolores  was  propped  up  with  pil 
lows,  and  she  did  not  shrink  before  his  withering 
glance,  but  met  it  with  eyes  that  were  clear  and  shin 
ing  because  they  were  too  sad  for  tears. 

"  So,"  he  said,  sneeringly,  "you  were  born  a  slave 
— there  is  negro  blood  in  your  veins." 

"  Upon  whose  authority  do  you  confront  me  thus  ?" 
she  asked  in  a  low  but  firm  voice. 

"  Your  own.  In  your  delirium  you  told  more  truth 
to  me  than  ever  you  did  in  your  sane  moments, 
madame." 

"  There  is  negro  blood  in  my  veins,"  she  answered, 
"but  so  little  that  no  one  ever  dreamed  it  until  they 
were  told.  You  did  not,  and  I  have  been  your  wife 
for  considerably  longer  than  a  year." 

He  winced. 

"  You  are  a  sister  of  Rick  Gonzales,"  was  his  next 
charge. 

"  There  is  not  the  slightest  relation  between  Rick 
Gonzales  and  myself,"  she  answered,  "and  I  never 
saw  him  until  during  the  July  previous  to  our  mar 
riage.  I  saw  him  daily  then  for  about  a  month.  After 
that  he  came  here  to  Riverton,  while  I  nursed  his  father 
through  his  last  illness.  After  the  funeral  I  lived  in 
the  same  house  with  him  for  another  month,  during 
which  time  we  met  seldom  ;  then  you  came  and  I  was. 
in  your  company  until  we  were  married." 

"He  must  have  tired  of  you  very  soon,"  tauntingly. 
"  It  is  so  pleasant  to  learn  that  before  one's  marriage 


128  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

his  wife  was  the  mistress  and  slave  of  half  a  dozen 
different  men." 

"Silence!"  she  cried,  sitting  up  and  facing  him 
with  a  look  which  made  him  quail.  "  Do  not  charge 
such  a  thing  upon  me  again  or  I  will  not  answer  for 
the  consequences.  I  was  unfortunately  my  own 
father's  slave  ;  my  brothers  to-day  are  spending  the 
money  Colonel  Gonzales  paid  for  me.  I  was  the 
Colonel's  slave  and  Rick's,  but  I  was  never  any  man's 
mistress,  not  even  yours  ;  neither  am  I  your  slave. 
Is  not  the  truth  sad  enough  that  you  must  manufac 
ture  lies  to  make  the  case  worse  ?  Do  you  wish  me 
to  rise  from  my  bed  to-day  and  tell  your  mother,  your 
sister,  your  servants — aye,  the  whole  world — '  I  was 
born  a  slave  and  my  great-grandmother  was  a  coal- 
black  negress,  yet  I  am  Alfred  Hastings'  lawful  wife 
and  have  rode  upon  the  top  wave  of  your  best  society ; 
I  have  fooled  them  and  you  ?'  Shall  I  go  out  and  pro 
claim  this  fact  abroad  ?" 

"  Be  calm,  Dolores  !"  Alfred  said,  greatly  agitated 
and  seeming  frightened  at  her  words.  "  Be  calm,  I 
entreat  you,  and  speak  low.  I  will  acknowledge  this 
much  to  you.  I  am  anxious  that  the  fact  shall  not  be 
generally  known,  but  deceived  in  one  thing  I  am  led 
to  doubt  all." 

"You  think  it  a  great  stain  upon  the  Hastings 
name,"  she  continued,  "that  you  chanced  to  wed 
with  such  as  I.  Let  us  compare  our  merits.  The 
world,  or  that  part  of  it  which  chanced  to  see  us  since 
our  marriage,  has  with  one  accord  decided  that  you 
had  won  a  prize." 

"That  I  acknowledge,"  he  replied.  "Your  beauty, 
attractive  presence,  your  accomplishments  and  ami 
able  temper  render  you  one  woman  in  a  thousand, 
and  therefore  I  had  reason  to  be  proud  of  you  as  my 
wife  until  I  learned  that  you  were  a  slave." 

"  What  constitutes  a  slave  ?"  she  asked. 

"  Whoever  has  been  bought  or  sold  for  money  is  a 
slave,"  he  answered,  "  whether  black  or  white." 

"  Then  we  are  equal  on  that  score,"  she  quickly  re- 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  129 

plied.  "  I  was  born  a  slave,  was  sold  and  then  given 
my  freedom.  You  were  born  free,  but  after  you  grew 
to  manhood,  of  your  own  will,  you  sold  yourself  for 
money,  and,  therefore,  you  are  now  a  slave  while  I 
am  free." 

"What  do  you  mean  ?"  he  cried. 

"  I  mean  that  you,  Alfred  Hastings,  are  my  hus 
band  and  slave.  I  bought  you  at  a  high  price  ;  I 
paid  for  you  the  sum  of  ten  thousand  dollars.  Do 
you  wish  for  your  freedom  now  ?  If  so,  pay  me  back 
the  ten  thousand  you  cost  me  and  I  will  take  my 
child  and  leave  you  forever.  You  may  say  that  I  am 
dead — you  may  say  what  you  please — I  will  never 
trouble  you  again." 

He  was  thunderstruck.  After  his  finding  out  her 
low  and  degraded  birth  and  taunting  her  with  it  she 
received  these  taunts  with  cool  defiance,  throwing 
back  in  his  teeth  other  accusations  almost  as  degrad 
ing.  No,  not  quite,  for  it  took  much  to  degrade  a 
Hastings  ;  but  it  was,  to  say  very  little,  mortifying  in 
the  extreme.  He  expected  her  to  become  covered 
with  confusion  as  soon  as  he  opened  his  mouth  to 
accuse  her,  but,  instead,  she  was  calm  and  self- 
reliant,  laying  out  directions  for  him  to  follow  if  he 
would  not  suffer  the  consequences. 

"  You  know  I  cannot  do  that,"  he  said  at  last. 

"I  know  you  can,"  she  replied,  "if  you  mortgage 
Riverton  to  the  same  extent  it  was  involved  when 
my  money  freed  it  from  debt.  Now  give  me  a  sug 
gestion  of  yours  as  to  what  you  intend  since  you 
have  heard  my  proposition." 

"  I  am  all  at  sea,"  he  said.  "  I  will  not  live  with 
you  longer,  that  is  out  of  the  question,  and  yet  I 
want  to  save  myself  from  disgrace." 

"  Yes,"  she  answered,  "that  is  your  sole  thought. 
You  cannot  live  with  your  wife,  even  though  you  ac 
knowledge  her  to  be  one  woman  of  a  thousand,  be 
cause  you  feel  that  she  is  beneath  you.  But  she  is 
not  to  be  considered  in  the  matter  ;  her  comfort,  her 
peace  of  mind  are  of  no  moment.  She  may  starve 


130  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

for  aught  you  care,  so  no  one  will  know  it  and  the 
fact  does  not  disgrace  you.  You  cannot  live  with 
me  therefore  I  must  go.  Let  me  hear  how  and  when, 
please." 

"  Do  you  promise  me  to  be  reasonable  and  agree 
to  what  I  propose  for  you  ?" 

"I  agree  to  nothing,"  she  answered,  "until  you 
make  your  plans  known." 

He  sat  for  some  moments  in  silence,  a  brooding, 
baffled  look  upon  his  face  ;  but  at  length  this  expres 
sion  changed  to  one  of  demoniac  triumph.  Dolores 
saw  it,  and  her  heart  sank.  Bold  though  she  might 
appear  to  him,  determined  to  make  as  good  a  fight  as 
possible,  nevertheless  she  knew  she  was  no  match  for 
her  husband  in  low  cunning.  If  she  could  send  word 
to  Rick  he  would  come  to  her  aid  ;  but  it  was  very 
doubtful  whether  she  would  be  able  to  do  this,  for 
she  knew  she  would  be  watched  henceforth  so  closely 
it  would  be  impossible  to  send  a  message  to  the  outer 
world.  Sue  could  be  trusted,  but  she,  too,  would  be 
under  constant  surveillance,  and  she  would  not  bring 
her  only  friend  into  disgrace  or  disfavor,  as  it  might 
lead  to  their  separation — perhaps  Alfred  would  sell 
Sue  at  once. 

"  I  tell  you  what  I  will  do,"  he  said,  "  upon  certain 
conditions.  I  will  remove  you  and  the  child  to  some 
quiet  village  farther  South,  under  pretense  that  a 
change  of  climate  is  necessary  to  restore  you  to  health. 
Sue  shall  accompany  you.  Before  we  go  I  will  give 
into  your  hands  the  sum  of  one  thousand  dollars,  and 
I  promise  faithfully  to  send  you  yearly  the  sum  of  five 
hundred,  in  addition,  until  the  child  is  ten  years  old. 
Farther  than  that  I  will  not  pledge  myself  now. 
Upon  your  part  you  are  to  give  me  your  promise  that 
you  will  assume  a  different  name,  that  you  agree  to 
pass  for  a  widow,  and  that  you  will  never  communicate 
with  me  in  any  way  or  speak  my  name.  1  will  send 
Sue  with  you,  because  I  would  not  leave  you  without 
any  one  you  have  known,  and  she  will  be  faithful  and 
betray  nothing.  Do  you  agree  to  this  ?" 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  131 

"It  sounds  fairly,"  Dolores  answered,  "therefore  I 
doubt  if  you  wiH  ever  carry  it  out." 

"Then  you  have  your  remedy,"  he  said.  "You 
can  return  at  any  time  and  expose  me." 

She  waited  a  moment,  but  what  could  she  do  ?  She 
was  resolved  to  accept,  and  as"  long  as  she  remained 
at  Riverton  she  had  the  matter  in  her  own  hands  ; 
therefore  she  would  never  leave  until  she  had  the 
thousand  dollars  in  her  possession.  With  this  sum 
and  Sue  she  felt  it  would  be  possible  to  live  for  a  long 
time  even  among  strangers,  and  long  before  it 
would  be  gone  she  would  find  some  work  to  do.  She 
was  a  wonderful  nurse,  and  if  she  could  not  find 
employment  in  the  South  she  would  go  North,  where 
she  was  sure  of  finding  friends. 

"  I  agree  to  the  proposition,"  she  said  at  last. 

"  I  am  glad  you  show  yourself  so  sensible,"  he  re 
plied.  "All  you  have  to  do  now  is  to  remain  languid 
for  two  or  three  weeks  and  when  you  really  feel  robust 
enough  to  travel  let  me  know  and  we  will  set  out.  I 
.shall  continue  to  sleep  in  the  adjoining  room.  You 
are  too  ill  to  see  company  and  must  see  no  one  before 
you  leave.  We  can  easily  manage  it,  for  I  will  give 
out,  at  least  to  mother,  my  intention  of  taking  you 
upon  a  journey  as  soon  as  you  are  able.  To  my 
friends  outside  I  shall  say  that  you  are  in  a  melan 
choly  state  and  desire  to  see  no  one.  \Ve  will  set  out 
for  New  Orleans  possibly,  journeying  slowly.  I  write 
at  last  that  you  have  been  taken  ill  with  yellow 
fever,  as  there  are  fears  that  it  will  be  very  violent 
this  summer.  After  a  few  weeks  I  return  broken 
hearted.  You  died  of  that  dreadful  disease,  and, 
fearing  contagion,  I  dare  not  even  bring  you  home 
for  burial.  Sue  takes  the  fever  and  also  dies.  The 
child  dies  too,  not  from  fever  exactly,  but  from  losing 
its  mother  and  possibly  lack  of  proper  care,  altogether 
making  a  most  distressing  case.  I  do  not  recover 
from  the  shock  for  a  long,  long  time.  People  condole 
with  me  and  deplore  your  loss.  I  shall  even  put  up 
an  expensive  monument  to  your  memory  and  that  of 


132  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

our  child  in  the  family  burial  plot.  How  say  you, 
Dolores?  Would  you  not  rather  seem  dead  to  your 
friends,  your  memory  being  revered  and  treasured, 
than  to  live  in  disgrace  ?" 

"I  would,"  she  said,  "and  will  follow  your  direc 
tions  as  closely  as  possible  ;  however,  at  the  first 
hint  of  failure  upon  your  part  to  carry  out  your  share 
of  the  agreement  I  shall  expose  you.  I  will  not  leave 
this  house  until  I  first  have  the  thousand  dollars  in 
my  possession,  remember  that,  Alfred." 

"  I  will  not  ask  you  to  do  so.  And  now  I  am  go 
ing  to  lie  down,  for  I  am  utterly  exhausted  ;  I  have 
not  slept  a  moment  for  the  past  two  nights." 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

A    SHARP     PRACTICE. 

In  a  small  room  in  a  rude  little  inn  situated  in  an 
obscure  town  among  the  mountains  of  Tennessee 
two  men  sat  in  apparently  earnest  conversation.  One 
was  of  gentlemanly  appearance,  young  and  a  trifle 
careworn  ;  the  other  was  tall,  raw-boned,  and  coarse 
both  in  person  and  manner. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Brandon,"  said  the  latter,  "  you  have 
sent  for  me  to  come  some  distance,  and  I  expect  a 
pretty  good  bargain,  to  pay  for  my  time  and  expenses. 
I  never  heard  of  you  before,  but  that  makes  no  odds 
so  long  as  you  have  heard  of  me.  My  name  is  pretty 
well  known,  if  I  do  say  it,  all  through  the  slave  States, 
and  I'm  a  little  proud  of  my  reputation.  No  man  that 
buys  and  sells  niggers  has  got  as  good  a  name  for 
regular  fair  and  square  dealing  as  what  I  have.  And 
now  may  I  be  so  bold  as  to  ask  what  you  have  got 
to  offer  in  my  line  ?" 

"Certainly,"  returned  the  gentleman  he  addressed 
as  Mr.  Brandon,  pouring  out  a  second  drink  of  brandy 
and  drinking  it  off.  "The  truth  is — and  I  may  as 
well  tell  you  the  truth  at  once,  Mr.  Ryan — I  am  what 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  133 

you  might  call  '  hard  up,'  or  I  would  never  part  with 
two  such  valuable  slaves.  Aside  from  that,  one  of 
them,  as  I  think  I  mentioned  before,  is  a  little  spoiled. 
I've  had  her  only  about  two  years.  I  bought  her  for 
her  beauty,  and  had  her  travel  around  with  me.  As  no 
one  would  be  apt  to  suspect  her  of  possessing  negro 
blood,  I  was  so  silly  as  to  pass  her  off  on  two  or  three 
occasions  for  my  wife,  and  you  can  imagine  the  effect 
this  had  upon  her.  She  became  intolerable,  putting 
on  airs  and  graces  one  moment  and  crying  and  beg 
ging  the  next.  If  made  to  know  her  place  she  is 
invaluable.  She  is  one  of  the  best  nurses  in  sickness 
I  ever  knew,  and  she  is  as  smart  as  lightning  in  every 
way.  She  has  a  babe  about  two  months  and  a  half 
old,  a  fine,  likely  child — a  girl.  The  other  girl  is 
older,  but  well-preserved,  a  good  nurse  and  chamber 
maid.  Now,  I  don't  want  either  of  them  to  know 
what  I'm  about  until  they  are  sold  and  I  leave,  for 
they  would  only  make  trouble.  You,  with  your  large 
experience,  would  know  how  to  manage  them,  and 
when  they  knew  I  was  gone  they  wouldn't  be  likely 
to  make  such  a  fuss  as  if  I  were  here  to  listen." 

"  Yes,  that  is  best,  of  course,  'specially  if  you  are  at 
all  chicken-hearted.  Now,  I'm  used  to  the  business, 
and  it  don't  make  no  difference  to  me  how  much  they 
yell  and  tear  their  wool.  I  allow  I  can  get  along  with 
darkies  about  as  well  as  any  man  living,  so  you  needn't 
have  any  uneasiness  upon  that  score.  Only  I'd  like 
to  take  a  look  at  the  gals  before  I  make  a  bid  for 
them.  Don't  care  about  buying  a  pig  in  a  bag,  you 
see." 

"  Of  course  I'll  manage  that,  and  my  idea  is  for 
you  to  come  into  our  room  under  the  pretense  of  bar 
gaining  with  me  about  the  price  I  am  to  pay  you  for 
taking  us  through  to  Hampton,  which  is  about  twelve 
miles  across  the  country.  We  are  to  go  in  a  heavy 
wagon,  you  know " 

"  Yes,  I  take  the  hint.  I'll  make  the  price  high 
enough,  and  you  must  haggle  with  me,  all  in  a  gentle 
manly  way,  you  know,  to  give  me  a  chance  to  take  a 


134  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

good  look.  And  mind  you  speak  to  both  gals,  so  I 
can  get  a  view  when  they  are  talking." 

"  Very  well,  I'll  go  in  now  and  you  may  come  and 
knock  at  the  door  in  five  minutes." 

Mr.  Brandon  rose  and  left  the  trader,  passing  into 
a  larger  room,  also  on  the  ground  floor,  across  the 
hall.  As  he  opened  the  door  there  came  the  sound 
of  a  soft  lullaby,  sang  in  a  clear,  low  woman's  voice. 
The  sound  angered  him,  for  he  wished  for  no  soften 
ing  influence.  He  was  about  to  commit  a  crime  from 
which  his  own  heart  recoiled  now  the  time  had  come, 
yet  he  was  in  feverish  haste  to  have  it  over  as  quickly 
as  possible.  So  he  made  no  remark,  but  walked  in, 
taking  a  seat  by  a  rear  window. 

"  How  long  will  we  be  detained  here,  Alfred  ?" 
asked  the  woman  who  was  crooning  over  her  child. 

"  I  had  hoped  to  get  away  to-day,  but  the  man  who 
was  to  drive  us  to  Hampton,  where  we  can  take  the 
stage,  has  only  this  moment  arrived.  It  would  be 
useless  to  undertake  the  journey  to-night,  for  it  is 
now  five  o'clock,  but  I  will  see  him  presently  and  bar 
gain  with  him  to  have  everything  ready  for  an  early- 
start  in  the  morning.  These  mountaineers  are  rude 
fellows,  Dolores,  but  we  must  treat  them  as  civilly  as 
possible  since  we  cannot  well  dispense  with  their  aid." 

"  It  seems  almost  unnecessary  to  come  such  a  wild 
journey,  does  it  not  ?" 

"  It  was  very  necessary  or  I  would  not  have  brought 
you  by  this  route.  I  want  to  conceal  our  course  as 
much  as  possible,  as  we  must  not  be  recognized  by 
anyone." 

While  he  spoke  there  was  a  knock  at  the  door,  and 
Sue  rose  to  open  it. 

"  I  came  to  see  about  a  journey  a  party  is  to  take 
to  Hampton,"  a  rough,  unrefined  voice  said. 

"Walk  in,"  said  Alfred,  rising.  "This  is  Mr.  Ryan, 
I  believe.  The  gentleman  of  whom  I  spoke,  Dolores," 
he  added,  turning  to  his  wife. 

Dolores  bowed,  and  received  a  rude  stare  from  the 
man  in  return.  "Stunning,"  he  muttered  to  himself, 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  135 

"but  I  must  never  let  that  fool  know  I  think  so. 
Sarvent,  ma'am,"  he  said  a  moment  later,  as  though  it 
were  an  afterthought.  "  Mrs.  Brandon,  I  suppose." 

Again  Dolores  bowed,  remembering  Alfred's  ad 
monition  about  being  civil,  but  she  felt  a  strong  dis 
like  to  the  man  at  once. 

Alfred  immediately  entered  into  negotiations  con 
cerning  the  ride,  appealing  to  Dolores  to  know  if  she 
could  be  ready  at  six  in  the  morning,  ordering  Sue  to 
bring  some  cigars  for  the  gentleman,  and  bringing 
both  women  forward  as  much  as  possible,  while  Ryan 
stared  constantly  at  them  in  a  most  disagreeable  way. 
He  left  at  length,  Alfred  following  him. 

"  Well,  Ryan,"  he  said,  as  soon  as  the  two  were 
again  seated  near  the  rear  window  of  the  rude  bar 
room,  "  what  do  you  think  now  of  what  I  have  to 
offer  you  ?" 

"  I  think  just  this  :  If  you  want  to  sell  the  two  gals 
lor  a  low  sum  I'm  your  man.  If  you  want  any  fancy 
price  for  'em  I  step  out  and  leave  you  to  find  an 
other  market,  though  in  that  case  I  should  want  some 
pay  for  the  time  I've  lost  in  coming  here.  What  do 
you  say  for  the  three — that  is,  the  gal,  the  baby  and 
the  old  woman  ?" 

"  Speak  a  trifle  lower,  please,"  Alfred  said,  appre 
hensively  looking  about  him.  "  I  will  take  two  thou 
sand  dollars  for  the  three." 

"  Pshaw,  now  !  you  must  be  joking,  really,"  re 
turned  Mr.  Ryan.  "  Not  but  what  the  gal  with  the 
young  one  is  worth  a  thousand,  that  I  don't  dispute, 
but  the  old  woman,  for  she's  near  fifty,  isn't  of  any 
special  account.  I  reckon  I'd  have  hard  work  to  get 
eight  hundred  for  her,  even  in  New  Orleans." 

"  No  you  wouldn't,"  said  Alfred.  "  She  is  really  a 
valuable  servant,  but  the  other  one  is  worth  what  I 
ask  you  for  both.  You  can  sell  her  at  almost  any 
price  if  you  chance  to  meet  the  right  customer.  Why, 
if  I  were  to  tell  you  what  I  paid  for  her  you  would 
never  believe  me.  Only  find  as  great  a  fool  as  I 
was  and  you  can  get  any  sum  you'll  name  for  her. 


136  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

She  is  as  accomplished  as  any  lady,  sings  and  plays 
on  the  piano  wonderfully,  and  speaks  English  or 
Spanish  equally  well.  By  the  way  she  was  born  in 
Cuba,  which  accounts  for  her  being  able  to  speak  a 
foreign  tongue.  She  was  brought  here  by  an  old 
gentleman  who  went  to  Havana  for  his  health,  and 
when  he  died,  which  was  immediately  after  his  re 
turn  to  the  States,  this  girl  was  thrown  on  the 
market." 

"Well,  I  don't  see  any  use  of  haggling  any  longer," 
said  Mr.  Ryan,  "  I'll  give  you  eighteen  hundred  dol 
lars  cash  for  the  lot,  and  I  won't  give  a  cent  more. 
You  shall  have  the  money  down  early  in  the  morning, 
provided  you're  willing  to  take  it.  You  can  take 
French  leave,  or,  what  is  better,  we  can  get  the  gals 
in  my  wagon  and  you  are  to  foller  on  horseback. 
You  can  foller  a  smart  piece,  if  you  like,  it  may  help 
matters.  I  shall  make  for  Hampton  anyhow,  first, 
then  for  the  river,  and  down  to  New  Orleans  as  quick 
as  I  can.  After  you've  come  on  after  us  a  mile  or  so 
you  can  lag  behind  and  go  where  you  like." 

"Very  well,"  replied  Alfred,  "it's  a  bargain.  I  see 
you  are  the  very  man  I  want  to  get  rid  of  them  for 
me  without  a  scene.  We  will  make  out  the  papers  at 
once,  if  you  like." 

"All  right.  Still  it  ain't  my  way  to  pay  for  a  thing 
until  I  get  it.  Make  out  the  papers  as  soon  as  you 
like  and  sign  'em.  I  don't  want  'em  till  morning. 
When  them  gals  is  once  in  that  wagon  I'll  step  back 
a  minate,  take  the  papers  and  hand  you  the  money." 

"That  will  suit  me  exactly,"  Alfred  said  ;  "  I  don't 
want  the  money  until  then.  But  the  girls  are  safe 
enough.  They  don't  dream  that  I  have  an  idea  of 
selling  them,  and  besides,  where  could  they  go  if  they 
ventured  to  escape  ?  They  might  go  up  into  the 
mountains,  but  they  would  soon  be  glad  to  return,  as 
they  would  starve  to  death  if  they  did  not." 

"  Well,  keep  dark  anyhow.  I  shall  not  let  on  that 
anything  is  wrong  until  I  get  'em  in  the  woods  this 
side  of  Hampton,  then  I  shall  tell  'em  they  belong 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  137 

to  me — that  I  wont  have  any  nonsense.  If  they 
behave  themselves  they  shall  be  sold  to  good  masters 
— sold  together,  if  I  can  manage  it." 

"  I  don't  think  it  would  be  advisable  to  sell  them 
together,"  interrupted  Alfred. 

"  No  more  it  would,  but  I  believe  the  easiest  way 
is  the  best  way.  If  I  can  keep  'em  quiet  by  lying  I'll 
spin  a  steady  streak  of  lies  till  I  get  to  New  Orleans. 
If  that  wont  do  I'll  handcuff  'em.  If  that  don't 
answer  I'll  use  a  little  force.  Do  you  see  ?" 

"Yes,"  returned  Alfred,  for  the  moment  sickened 
as  he  thought  of  what  Dolores  must  go  through. 
"  And  now  I  will  go  and  make  sure  that  they  suspect 
nothing.  I'll  see  you  later  in  the  evening." 

He  rose,  took  a  drink  at  Mr.  Ryan's  request,  and 
then  crossed  the  hall  to  the  room  where  Dolores  sat. 
Sue  was  upon  her  knees  beside  the  bed  intent  on 
packing  a  satchel,  and,  as  usual,  Dolores  sat  with  the 
child,  now  sleeping,  upon  her  knee. 

"What  a  dreadful  man  that  Mr.  Ryan  is,  Alfred," 
said  Dolores.  "  I  fear  him  greatly." 

"  There  is  no  need,"  replied  Alfred.  "  He  is  not 
the  one  I  should  choose  for  a  companion,  but  he  is 
perfectly  trustworthy.  I  learned  that  before  I  em 
ployed  him.  He  does  not  mean  to  be  rude,  but  he  is 
very  ignorant.  We  can  endure  that  for  a  short  time. 
Sue,  be  sure  and  have  everything  in  readiness,  for  we 
leave  at  six  in  the  morning." 

"  Yes,  mas'r,"  Sue  said,  still  intent  upon  her  pack 
ing.  She  was  putting  in  a  small,  light  satchel  some 
clothing  for  the  babe,  a  comb,  a  bottle  of  smelling- 
salts  and  a  package  of  crackers. 

"I  will  have  your  supper  sent  in  at  once,"  said 
Alfred.  "  I  will  take  mine  outside  and  afterward  may 
take  a  walk,  but  I  shall  come  in  again  before  bed-time." 

At  the  table  he  met  Ryan,  who  talked  incessantly, 
to  Alfred's  inward  disgust  ;  but  outwardly  he  seemed 
at  least  to  listen  politely,  and  when  the  meal  was  over 
went  out  and  heard  Ryan  give  directions  concerning 
getting  a  conveyance  ready  at  six  in  the  morning. 


138  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

"You  see,"  he  said  to  Alfred,  "I  am  making  my 
preparations  to  be  on  time.  When  I  talk  to  a  nigger 
I  never  tell  the  truth  if  a  lie  will  answer  as  well  ;  but 
when  I  give  my  word  to  a  white  man  I  stick  to  it, 
come  what  may." 

Alfred  made  some  laughing  rejoinder  and  then 
strolled  away  to  congratulate  himself  upon  the  suc 
cess  of  his  plans. 

"  I  wonder  what  you  would  think  of  such  general 
ship  as  I  have  exhibited  for  a  few  weeks  past,  Rick 
Gonzales  ?"  he  said.  "You  were  cunning,  I  acknowl 
edge,  but  my  trick  is  worth  two  of  yours.  The  only 
question  in  my  mind  is  whether  to  confront  you  with 
your  fraud  or  return  home  quietly  and  let  you  wonder 
when  you  hear  the  news  of  the  death  of  the  daughter 
of  your  father's  friend.  Now  at  least  I  am  free,  for, 
once  sold  as  a  slave,  Dolores  will  never  trouble  me 
again.  I  have  turned  Rick's  bargain  to  the  best  ad 
vantage,  too.  The  ten  thousand  set  me  upon  my 
feet  and  this  eighteen  hundred  I  am  to  receive  in  the 
morning  will  also  be  a  decided  help  to  me.  Altogether, 
I  congratulate  myself  upon  having  played  an  exceed 
ingly  sharp  game." 

He  felt  no  remorse  of  conscience  in  giving  over  the 
wife  of  his  bosom  to  this  low,  brutal  man.  The  dis 
agreeable  details  were  nearly  over,  as  far  as  he  was 
concerned.  For  Dolores — well,  he  was  only  consign 
ing  her  to  the  lot  to  which  she  was  born,  and  which 
she  only  left  temporarily  by  committing  a  crime 
against  him.  All  was  as  it  should  be  ;  now  the  wrong 
was  righted.  

CHAPTER    XXIV. 

FLIGHT. 

When  supper  was  brought  in  Sue  arranged  it  as 
temptingly  as  possible.  There  was  bacon  and  eggs, 
corn  bread,  tea  and  berries,  and  when  all  was  ready 
she  took  the  babe  while  her  mistress  sat  down  to  her 
solitary  meal. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOUILITY.  139 

"  I'm  really  hungry,"  Dolores  said,  as  she  took  her 
seat  at  the  table,  "  and  you  have  made  the  food  look 
appetizing,  too,  my  good  Sue." 

"  Dat's  right,  honey,"  Sue  replied.  "  Eat  all  ye 
kin,  for  we've  got  a  hard  journey  afore  us,  missus 
dear." 

"Yes,  I  shall  be  glad  when  we  reach  our  journey's 
end,  and  when  we  do  I  have  a  story  to  tell  you,  Sue. 
Now  I  will  only  say  I  believe  you  are  the  sole  friend 
I  have  on  earth,  except  one  who  is  far  away  and 
whom  I  cannot  now  reach." 

"  Bress  yer  lovin'  heart,  honey,  pore  Sue  ain't 
much  of  a  frien',  but  de  best  she  am  is  what  she  will 
be  to  you  allus,  Missus,  dear." 

When  Dolores  finished  Sue  did  not  sit  down.  She 
poured  out  a  cup  of  tea  and  drank  it,  then  she  pro 
duced  a  bottle  in  which  she  poured  what  was  left, 
adding  to  it  sugar  but  no  milk. 

•"  No  tellin',  Missus,"  she  said,  as  Dolores,  watched 
her  inquiringly,  "  but  we  may  break  down  in  the 
woods,  and  der  ain't  nuffin  conies  so  good  when  you 
is  dry  as  a  taste  o'  tea.  An'  I  is  goin"  to  put  in  some 
o'  dis  yer  bacon  too,  dey  is  plenty  left." 

"  But,  Sue,  you  have  eaten  nothing,"  said  Dolores, 
anxiously. 

"Well,  honey,  dat  ain't  sayin"  I  ain't  agoin'  to,  is 
it  ?"  And  Sue  began  to  pick  a  bit  here  and  eat  a  trifle 
there,  more  with  the  view  of  satisfying  her  mistress 
than  her  own  appetite.  As  soon  as  the  things  were 
cleared  away  she  began  urging  Dolores  to  retire. 

"But,"  said   Dolores,  "it  is  not  yet  seven  o'clock, 

Sue,  and  Mr.  Has ,  I  mean  your  master,  said  he 

would  come  in  before  he  retired." 

"So  he  kin,  honey,  but  you  go  to  bed  all  de  same. 
You  didn't  hab  a  nap  dis  day,  an'  I  wants  yer  strong 
for  de  ride  to-morrow." 

Dolores  laughed. 

"  You  are  a  regular  tyrant,  Sue,"  she  said,  "but  as 
we  shall  be  obliged  to  rise  exceedingly  early  in  the 
morning  perhaps  I  had  better  do  so  ;  still  I'm  afraid 


140  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

I  will  not  sleep,  for  somehow  the  air  seems  full  of 
mystery." 

"Yes,  chile,  you  will  sleep.  I'll  Uke  de  baby  an' 
you  go  right  to  bed  dis  minute." 

Dolores  did  as  she  was  bidden,  and  as  Sue  prophe 
sied,  she  was  soon  asleep.  It  was  nearly  nine  o'clock 
when  Alfred,  returning  from  his  walk,  came  into  the 
room.  Sue  put  up  a  warning  finger. 

"  Missus  is  kind  o'  tired,"  she  said,  "  and  has  gone 
to  bed,  Mas'r  Alfred.  She  is  fas'  asleep,  too.  Shall 
I  wake  her  up  ?" 

"  Oh,  no,"  he  replied,  "  it  is  all  the  better  to  let  her 
get  a  good  sleep  ;  and  be  sure,  Sue,  to  be  stirring  by 
five  in  the  morning." 

"  Sartin,  Mas'r,  I'll  be  up  by  dat  time,  suah,  an*  hab 
Miss  Dolory  ready  in  less  'n  no  time.  I'se  got  a 
little  more  packin',  and  den  I  is  froo'  for  de  night." 

Satisfied  that  all  was  as  it  should  be,  Alfred  went 
out  to  tell  Ryan  that  all  was  well,  and  then  he  retired 
to  his  room.  He  did  not  intend  to  go  to  sleep,  and 
sat  smoking  a  cigar  for  some  time,  but  having  drank 
more  brandy  than  usual  he  began  to  feel  drowsy. 
So,  undressing,  he  threw  himself  upon  the  bed  and 
in  a  few  moments  was  sleeping  soundly. 

After  he  left  the  room  Sue  quietly  removed  the 
baby's  clothing,  preparatory  to  giving  it  a  bath. 
Next  she  dressed  it  carefully  in  one  of  its  plainest 
dresses,  instead  of  putting  on  its  night-robe  as  usual, 
which  performance  the  young  lady  seemed  to  regard 
with  wonder,  staring  with  her  round,  dark  eyes,  though 
she  took  it  patiently.  This  done  she  proceeded  to 
rock  it  to  sleep,  and  the  young  lady,  demurring 
slightly  at  first,  gradually  closed  her  eyes  and  was 
soon  asleep.  Then  her  nurse  laid  her  gently  down, 
and,  finishing  her  packing,  washed  herself  and  changed 
her  clothing  ;  after  which  she  took  out  her  bonnet, 
also  a  plain  bonnet  and  shawl  belonging  to  her  mis 
tress,  and  laid  them  over  a  chair,  upon  which  she 
placed  her  satchel  ready  for  the  morning.  Every 
thing  else  she  put  into  the  trunks,  and  when  she  had 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  141 

finished  there  was  no  litter,  nothing  lying  about  but 
the  wraps  and  the  clothing  Dolores  was  to  put  on  in 
the  morning.  This  done  the  pious  soul  knelt  down 
and  silently  but  fervently  prayed  for  some  moments 
She  was  just  rising  from  her  knees  when  little  Rosf 
began  to  cry,  and,  taking  Dolores'  watch,  she  looked 
and  saw  it  was  a  few  minutes  past  eleven.  She  then 
took  the  child  in  her  arms  and  laid  her  hand  lightly 
upon  the  shoulder  of  her  mistress. 

"  Miss  Dolory,"  she  whispered  softly,  "  de  pore 
little  chillen  am  hungry,  an'  'sides,  I'se  got  somefin  to 
tell.  Don't  speak,  honey,  jes'  whisper  ;  we  musn't 
sturb  nobody." 

Dolores  took  the  babe,  and,  aroused  by  Sue's  words 
and  manner,  was  thoroloughy  awake  in  an  instant. 

"  What  is  it,  Sue  ?"  she  said,  softly. 

"  Miss  Dolory,  you  knows,  honey,  yer  said  dis 
berry  night  yer  had  a  story  fer  to  tell  ole  Sue  bime- 
by.  Well,  I  is  got  one  ter  tell  you  now.  Don't  be 
'larmed,  I'se  got  it  all  fixed  ;  but  soon  as  I  tell  yer 
you  mus'  git  up  an'  dress,  fer  you  an'  I  mus'  run 
away  afore  anyone  gits  up  in  de  mornin'." 

"  Must  we,  Sue  ?"  never  doubting  what  she  heard. 
"Why?" 

"  'Case,  honey,  you  know  dat  man  dat  come  in  de 
room  ter  day.  Well,  Mas'r  Alfred  hes  sole  us  boff— 
sole  us  all — you  an'  his  own  baby  an'  me — to  dat  low 
lived  white  trash  of  a  man  !" 

Dolores  felt  her  heart  sink  within  her,  for  she  knew 
Sue's  words  were  all  too  true.  She  had  had  some 
vague  fears  that  her  husband  had  employed  this  man 
to  take  her  life,  perhaps,  but  she  had  never  dreamed 
of  this.  For  a  moment  she  was  too  dazed  to  speak, 
then  srws  asked  whisperingly, 

"Sue,  how  do  you  know  ?" 

"  When  dey  went  out  de  room  ter  day  I  knowed 
somefin  was  goin'  wrong,  an'  I  slips  out  de  back  way 
and  listened  under  de  winder,  an'  heard  Mas'r  Alfred 
sell  us  fer  eber  so  much  money  ;  an'  in  de  mornin'  we 
is  to  go  in  de  wagon  and  Mas'r  Alfred  is  to  go  a 


14-2  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

horseback  jes'  to  fool  us,  an'  bimeby  he'll  turn  roun'r 
an'  when  de  man  gits  us  all  'lone  in  de  woods  he  is 
gwine  to  tell  us  he  is  our  mas'r.  An'  he  is  gwine  to 
sell  us  apart,  he  said  so  hisself.  Oh,  missus,  don't 
look  so  wild,  but  pray  de  Lo'd  to  help  us.  I  knows 
what  you  is  gwine  to  tell  me,  I  foun'  it  out  by  Mas'r 
Alfred  one  time  an'  anodder.  He  bought  pizen  for 
you  once  ;  yes,  an'  he  mixed  it,  too,  an'  I  seen  him. 
But  I  makes  believe  wake  up — I  was  a  snorin'  afore — 
an'  I  gits  up  an'  scares  him  comin'  in  de  room,  an' 
den  I  sen'  him  outer  de  room  fer  an  oringe,  an'  while 
he  was  gone  I  changed  de  glass  to  one  what  had  a 
little  lemingade  in,  an'  I  gabed  ye  dat  insted,  an'  Mas'r 
Alfred  a  stannin'  by  lookin'  like  a  sperrit.  An'  I  has 
watched  you  sense,  honey,  ebery  day.  I  got  de  paper 
whar  Mas'r  Alfred  writ  on  it  w'at  to  git,  an'  it  looked 
jes'  like  w'at  he  writ  when  he  sent  Jake  fer  rat  pizen 
once.  An'  now,  honey,  git  right  up.  Dar  ain't  much 
money,  'cause  Mas'r  Alfred  hes  took  de  tousand  dol 
lars  outen  de  trunk.  I  look'd  fer  it  to-night.  An'  he 
hes  took  yer  bracelet  an'  such  tings,  too  ;  but  I  ha* 
got  some  w'at  yer  had  afore  yer  was  tuck  sick  an'  it 
may  be  a  help.  Bress  yer  heart,  Miss  Dolory,  I 
knowed  yer  wouldn't  give  way.  An'  now  hurry,  here 
am  yer  tings  an'  I'll  fix  up  yer  har." 

"And  you  knew  this  all  the  time,  my  poor  Sue  !" 
Dolores  said,  "yet  you  kept  the  burthen  all  upon 
yourself,  letting  me  eat  and  sleep  as  though  no 
trouble  threatened  us.  Ah  !  Sue,  Sue,  if  you  had 
only  let  me  died  in  my  bed  that  night,  for  I  think  it 
was  the  last  peaceful  night  I  shall  ever  know.  But 
your  dear  loving  faithfulness  I  can  never  forget,  and 
it  gives  me  strength  to-night."  Putting  her  arms 
around  the  faithful  woman's  neck  she  kissed  her 
again  and  again.  "My  only  friend  !"  she  said,  "my 
dear  and  only  friend  !  And  now  let  us  hasten.  It 
is  not  my  freedom  alone  to  be  gained,  it  is  my  child's. 
She,  at  least,  was  born  free,  and  free  she  shall  be  while 
I  live  !  Come,  Sue,  I  am  ready.  Let  us  go  at  once." 

Sue  crept  out  stealthily  while  Dolores  wrapped  the 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  143 

child.  Returning  she  declared  the  coast  clear,  and 
persisted  in  loading  herself  with  both  satchel  and 
babe.  Dolores  tried  to  hinder  her  but  could  not,  so 
she  followed  silently.  The  night  was  dark.  There 
was  a  moon  but  it  was  cloudy,  and  it  was  with  the 
greatest  difficulty  they  could  distinguish  the  way.  For 
a  short  distance  they  followed  the  road,  which  was 
rugged  and  winding,  then  they  turned  abruptly  up 
the  steep  mountain  side.  The  grass  was  damp,  and 
as  they  climbed  slowly  up  the  height  the  brambles 
obscured  the  way,  seeming  to  beat  them  back  as  they 
strove  to  make  their  way  through.  But  they  pressed 
on  with  what  speed  they  could,  fearing  the  briars 
would  tear  their  clothing  and  so  betray  their  path. 
On  they  went,  over  rocks,  fallen  trees  and  the  tangled 
undergrowth,  and  before  the  morning  broke  they  had 
gained  the  summit  and  began  the  descent  upon  the 
other  side.  Once  the  infant  cried,  and  they  were 
forced  to  pause  and  hush  it,  and  once  within  her  arms 
Dolores  would  not  let  it  go  again. 

"Hush,  dear,"  she  mnrmured,  as  she  made  her  un 
steady,  doubtful  way  along.  "  Sleep,  baby,  for  it  is 
your  freedom  too  we  are  striving  to  gain.  If  you  cry 
they  will  find  us  and  make  you  a  slave-child — a  poor 
little  slave-child,  to  be  treated  as  though  you  were  a 
beast  without  any  soul.  But  be  quiet  and  do  not 
fear,  and  mother  will  find  freedom  for  you — freedom 
or  death,  it  does  not  matter  which." 

She  whispered  to  her  child  as  she  went  along, 
hurrying  and  almost  breathless,  Sue  leading  the  way 
and  trying  to  make  a  path  for  her  mistress.  They 
had  both  hoped  once  upon  the  brow  of  the  hill  they 
might  discover  some  place  of  refuge,  but  to  their  dis 
may  another  mountain  peak  nearly  as  high  shot  up  so 
closely  to  the  one  upon  which  they  stood  that  the 
tops  seemed  only  a  stone's  throw  apart ;  but,  while 
the  first  one  was  comparatively  smooth  at  the  sum 
mit,  the  second  was  topped  with  rough  rocks  and 
stunted  trees,  and  appeared  as  though  it  might  contain 
any  amount  of  hiding-places. 


144  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

"  We  must  reach  that  before  we  pause,"  Dolores- 
said,  yet  her  strength  was  nearly  exhausted.  "They 
will  discover  our  flight  in  an  hour,  for  it  is  now  four, 
and  if  they  succeed  in  finding  our  trail,  in  two  hours 
from  now  they  will  be  upon  us.  However,  no  horse 
can  mount  so  steep  an  ascent  without  danger  to  his 
rider  ;  indeed,  I  doubt  if  one  could  at  all." 

They  were  now  nearly  half  way  down  the  first 
mountain  side.  The  descent  being  so  different  from 
the  climbing,  calling  other  muscles  into  play,  it  almost 
seemed  a  rest.  As  soon  as  they  reached  the  bottom 
Sue  took  the  babe  from  the  arms  of  its  mother  and 
they  toiled  on.  Dolores  was  growing  foot-sore  and 
faint.  It  seemed  as  though  instinct,  or  a  will  not  her 
own,  urged  her  footsteps  onward,  for  she  had  scarcely 
power  to  move.  Still  she  had  no  thought  of  pausing 
even  for  a  moment ;  there  was  too  much  at  stake.  She 
might  die  in  the  path,  but  until  then  she  must  struggle 
on  to  a  place  of  safety. 

The  second  mountain  was  even  steeper  than  the 
first,  and  after  all,  as  a  bird  would  fly,  they  had  gone 
but  a  short  distance.  Suppose — and  here  a  terrible 
fear  came  over  Dolores — suppose  by  curving  around 
the  base  of  the  two  mountains  the  second  was  easily 
reached  from  the  opposite  side,  and  they  would  walk 
into  an  ambush  before  they  were  aware  ?  The  thought 
made  her  faint  for  a  moment ;  she  almost  reeled 
along.  But  she  would  not  speak  of  this  danger  to 
Sue,  who  already  had  enough  to  bear,  and  who  was 
struggling  on  under  her  load  as  best  she  could. 

"Oh,  I'se  no  'count  at  all,"  she  said,  when  Dolores 
urged  her  not  to  over-exert  her  strength  by  carrying 
the  child  ;  "  'sides,  I  is  berry  strong,  an'  you  isn't, 
honey.  You  nebber  could  carry  dis  yer  chile,  nebber 
in  dis  world.  But  I  does  want  you  to  do  one  ting. 
You  is  warm  an'  I  is  cole,  an'  I  wants  you  ter  pin  yer 
shawl  roun'  me  twell  we  git  ober  de  top  o'  de  hill." 

Quick  as  thought  Dolores  took  off  her  shawl  and 
pinned  it  round  Sue's  shoulders. 

"  Poor  Sue  !"  she  said,  "  I'm  afraid  you  are  going 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  145 

to  have  a  chill ;  but  you  seem  all  wet  with  perspira 
tion." 

"A  cole  sweat,  honey,  dat's  all.  I'se  had  it  berry 
often,  'an  taint  nuffin  at  all." 

There  was  a  thin  shawl  strapped  to  the  little  satchel, 
but  there  was  no  time  to  unfasten  it ;  besides,  Dolores 
was  very  warm.  She  observed  that  Sue  cast  several 
glances  backward  as  they  neared  the  mountain  top, 
and  went  at  such  a  rapid  pace  that  Dolores  could 
scarcely  keep  up  with  her.  She  also  chose  a  path 
most  sheltered  by  the  trees,  in  order  to  escape  observa 
tion  from  pursuers.  At  length,  however,  just  before 
they  reached  the  top,  there  was  an  open  space  which 
they  could  not  avoid  crossing.  Before  striking  into  this 
Sue  looked  carefully  around,  but  no  one  was  in  sight. 

"When  we  cross  dis  yer,"  she  said,  "I  tinks  we  is 
safe,  Miss  Dolory." 

"  How  thankful  I  shall  be,"  Dolores  answered,  as 
they  pushed  out  into  the  cleared  space. 

They  had  advanced  but  a  short  distance  when  they 
heard  shouts  from  the  opposite  hill. 

"We  are  discovered  !"  Dolores  cried. 

"  Don't  look  roun' !"  said  Sue,  in  answer,  "but  jes' 
keep  right  on,  honey." 

It  was  Ryan's  voice  they  heard  first,  and  after  a 
few  moments,  Alfred's,  calling  upon  them  to  halt  or 
they  would  be  fired  upon. 

"Dey  can't  hit  us,  nohow,"  said  Sue,  "we  is  too  far 
off."  But  the  words  had  scarcely  fell  from  her  lips 
ere  two  shots  were  quickly  fired,  and,  simultaneously 
with  the  last  report,  Sue  uttered  a  low  moan. 

"What  is  it,  Sue?"  said  Dolores,  in  sudden  alarm. 

"  Nuffin',  only  you  jes'  go  on  a  little  ahead  o'  me," 
Sue  answered  quietly. 

There  was  much  shouting,  and  a  little  later  two 
other  shots  were  fired ;  but  the  two  women  kept 
bravely  on,  until  they  reached  a  patch  of  timber  which 
skirted  the  top  of  the  hill  and  screened  them  from 
observation.  This  reached,  Sue  sunk  to  the  ground, 
and  Dolores  turned  to  take  the  child  from  her. 


146  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

"My  dear,  good  Sue,"  she  said,  "you  are  quite 
exhausted,"  and  then  she  uttered  a  wild  cry,  for  Sue's 
clothing  was  saturated  with  blood  which  came  from  a 
wound  in  her  side. 

"Don't  wait,  honey,"  came  faintly,  but  earnestly, 
from  the  faithful  woman's  lips.  "Dar  am  no  end  o' 
hidin'-places  ;  go  quick  an'  find  'em.  De  lunch  in  de 
satchel  '11  keep  yo'  twell  dey  is  tired  o'  huntin*.  I  is 
gwine  to  hab  de  bes'  hidin'-place  ob  all,  fo'  de  deah 
Lo'd  am  gwine  ter  take  me,  an'  I  is  ready  to  go." 

"  Give  me  the  shawl,  Sue,"  said  Dolores.  "  I  will 
make  a  compress  to  stop  the  flow  of  blood,"  and  she 
strove  to  bind  up  the  wound,  Sue  weakly  protesting. 

"Bress  yer  deah  heart,  yer  can't  help  me,  I  is  past 
all  dat.  Look  heah,  Miss  Dolory,  don't  deny  pore 
ole  Sue  de  las'  ting  she  asks.  Dey  can't  hurt  me 
when  dey  come,  'case  only  my  pore  ole  body  '11  be 
lef .  Anyhow,  when  I  got  so  ole  I  couldn't  work  no 
moah  I'd  be  shoved  off  on  some  white  niggah  dat  'd 
make  my  life  more  dan  I  could  bar.  Go,  like  a  good 
chile  ;  tink  ob  your  pore  little  baby  an'  all  it  an'  you 
mus*  go  froo  ef  Mas'r  Alfred  cotch  you  agin." 

Sue  ceased  speaking,  gasped  once  or  twice,  and 
then  Dolores,  through  her  bitter  tears,  could  see  that 
she  had  gained  her  freedom  at  last — not  the  freedom 
they  sought  when  they  set  out  upon  their  journey  ;  ah  ! 
not  that,  but  the  perfect,  glorious  freedom  which 
comes  at  last  to  faithful  martyrs  here  below — freedom 
from  suffering,  sorrow  and  sin  through  all  eternity. 


CHAPTER   XXV. 

A     DOUBTFUL     REFUGE. 

Beside  Sue's  prostrate  form  Dolores  knelt,  her  hot 
tears  falling  fast. 

"  Oh,  my  poor  Sue  !"  she  sobbed,  "  I  shall  never 
find  another  friend  like  you  !  Ever  since  my  trou 
bles  began  you  have  shielded  me  from  every  possible 
care,  you  have  taken  my  burthens  upon  your  own 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  147 

shoulders,  leaving  me  free.  Even  my  shawl,  that  I 
could  not  see  why  you  insisted  upon  wearing,  you 
took  because  you  knew  my  husband,  if  once  within 
range,  would  aim  at  me,  and  you  did  this  to  mislead 
him." 

For  some  moments  she  sat  thus,  sobbing  bitterly, 
and  then  little  Rose  began  to  cry.  This  roused  her  to 
her  sense  of  danger.  She  took  up  the  child  and  was 
about  to  leave  the  satchel,  when  she  remembered  that 
without  its  contents  she  might  perish  with  hunger; 
so,  putting  the  babe  over  one  shoulder  and  taking  the 
satchel  in  her  other  hand,  she  ran  along  the  mountain 
ridge  seeking  a  temporary  hiding-place,  fearing  they 
might  in  any  case  bring  dogs  to  hunt  her  out.  Sud 
denly  she  missed  her  footing,  and  fell  with  such  force 
she  rolled  over  what  seemed  to  her  a  steep  precipice. 
She  could  not  put  out  her  hands  to  save  herself,  on 
account  of  her  babe,  and  like  lightning  came  the  wish 
that  both  might  be  killed  instantly  by  the  fall.  In 
stead,  she  dropped  upon  a  deep  bed  of  dry  leaves 
quite  unhurt,  for  the  distance  she  had  fallen  was  not 
great. 

Looking  up  she  found  the  rock  from  which  she  had 
fallen  was  propped  up  by  smaller  ones  lying  under  it  at 
each  end,  thus  forming  a  low,  long  chamber,  which 
could  scarcely  be  called  a  cave,  as  the  opening  which 
was  long  and  narrow,  being  barely  large  enough  to 
allow  her  to  creep  through  it,  was  above  ground. 
This  opening  was  so  small  as  to  readily  escape  notice, 
especially  as  it  was  covered  entirely  by  thick,  cluster 
ing  red  raspberry  bushes,  which  were  covered  with 
green  and  ripe  fruit.  Creeping  under  the  rock  she 
hastily  laid  her  child  upon  the  floor,  which  was 
another  rock  covered  with  dry  leaves  which  had  blown 
in  during  the  autumn  when  the  bushes  were  bare,  and 
then  crept  outside  again  to  make  sure  she  had  left  no 
trace  of  her  fall.  Nothing  was  disturbed,  the  strong 
rock  telling  no  tales  where  her  foot  had  slipped,  and 
she  had  fallen  close  to  its  side,  so  the  bushes  swayed 
back  and  were  unbroken.  Even  in  her  haste  she 


148  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

gathered  a  few  berries  and  ate  eagerly,  she  was  so 
thirsty  and  faint ;  then  she  made  her  way  back  to  the 
child. 

She  could  not  stand  upright  beneath  the  rock,  but 
at  a  short  distance  back  from  the  opening  she  could 
sit  up  without  stooping.  Taking  her  remaining  shawl, 
which  was  fastened  to  the  satchel,  she  spread  it  out 
and  lay  down  to  quiet  her  child,  who  was  beginning 
to  cry.  It  soon  hushed,  however,  and  fell  asleep, 
greatly  to  its  mother's  relief.  Dolores  was  trembling 
with  nervous  excitement,  grief  and  overexertion  ;  she 
began  to  wonder  if  she  were  not  shivering  with  cold. 
Drawing  the  shawl  about  her  she  lay  for  a  long  time, 
every  pulse  throbbing,  her  head  aching  as  though  it 
would  burst.  At  length  by  degrees  she  grew  calmer ; 
instead  of  the  fierce  pain  a  dull,  numb  sensation  crept 
over  her,  and  at  last  she  fell  into  a  sleep  of  exhaustion. 

She  must  have  slept  some  hours  when  she  was 
awakened  by  the  sound  of  voices.  The  squirrels, 
astonished  to  find  a  tenant  in  the  place  they  fancied 
theirs  by  right,  had  come  to  the  opening  of  her  rocky 
chamber,  peeped  in,  chirped  and  scampered  away 
without  disturbing  her  ;  but  the  first  sound  of  a  hu 
man  voice,  though  distant,  caused  her  to  start  in 
affright.  At  first  she  heard  nothing  distinctly,  but  at 
length  she  distinguished  a  few  words,  and  then  whole 
sentences  came  to  her  ear,  which  was  strained  to 
catch  the  sound.  Her  heart  sank  within  her,  for  she 
recognized  the  voices  of  her  husband  and  Ryan. 

"It's  four  o'clock,"  said  the  slave  trader,  "and 
there  ain't  no  use  spendin' any  more  time  here  to-day. 
As  near  as  I  kin  calculate  you're  out,  I  reckon,  just 
three  niggers." 

"  I  only  count  that  I'm  out  one,"  returned  Alfred. 
"The  other  two  are  here  somewhere  on  this  mountain, 
or  in  the  valley  below.  If  I  could  get  hold  of  a 
dog " 

"There  ain't  no  dogs  near  here.  The  region  is  so 
sparsely  settled,  mostly  with  poor  white  trash  that 
hain't  got  a  nigger  to  bless  themselves  with,  it  don't 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  149 

pay  to  keep  dogs.  Before  you  could  find  one  the 
gal  would  be  starved  to  death.  She  will  starve  sooner 
or  later,  there  ain't  any  doubt  about  that." 

Dolores  shuddered. 

"Ryan,"  said  Alfred,  "I'm  going  to  find  that  girl 
if  I  engage  some  one  to  come  here  and  stay  night 
and  day,  and  if  she  is  here  the  child  will  surely  cry 
and  betray  her.  I'm  sorry  to  have  been  so  careless 
as  to  have  shot  a  good  darkey  like  Sue,  but  that  is  a 
small  matter  compared  to  the  loss  of  the  other  one." 

"Well,  the  old  gal's  dead,  but  that  ain't  any  special 
business  of  mine.  You've  got  a  right  to  destroy  your 
own  property  if  you  like,  but  I  didn't  want  to  miss 
the  other  one,  for  I  could  have  got  my  money  back 
on  her,  and  a  little  over  to  pay  me  for  the  time  I've 
lost  here  foolin'  round.  I  ought  to  be  in  Nashville 
this  minute,  and  I'm  going  there  to-night." 

"What !"  exclaimed  Alfred,  "  do  you  mean  to  give 
up  the  search  so  ?" 

"It  ain't  my  hunt,"  returned  Ryan,  coolly,  "nor  it 
ain't  my  nigger.  Not  but  what  I'd  stay  and  help  if  I 
had  time,  but  I've  got  other  fish  to  fry.  You  find  her 
and  send  me  word  to  Nashville  any  time  within  two 
weeks,  that  is  if  she  is  in  good  condition,  and  I'll  give 
you  a  thousand  dollars  for  her  and  the  child  and  call 
it  square  ;  but  I  don't  stay  here  and  lose  my  time 
lookin'  for  other  men's  niggers.  You  see,  if  there 
was  any  point  she'd  make  for  it  might  be  worth  while 
to  undertake  to  track  her,  but  when  she's  as  likely  to 
wander  one  way  as  another " 

"  Now  you  mention  that,"  said  Alfred,  "  I  have  no 
doubt  but  she  would  try  to  make  her  way  in  a  bee- 
line  to  the  place  where  her  old  master  used  to  live  in 
northern  Mississippi." 

"  How  far  is  that  ?" 

"  About  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  I  should  think, 
in  a  bee-line,  in  a  south-west  direction.  But  she 
doesn't  know  anything  at  all  about  the  country,  and  I 
hardly  think  she  knows  enough  about  the  place  to 
inquire  the  way  to  it  intelligibly." 


150  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

"She  never  could  go  that  distance.  Still,  if  she 
knew  the  direction,  she  might  try.  The  best  thing  for 
you  to  do  is  to  get  one  or  two  men,  say  two,  to  keep 
constant  watch  night  and  day ;  let  one  watch  while 
the  other  sleeps,  and  have  them  carry  their  provisions 
with  them.  A  horse  wouldn't  be  of  any  use,  he'd 
break  his  legs  among  the  rocks." 

"All  right,"  returned  Alfred,  "I'll  do  it,"  and  then 
they  moved  away  and  Dolores  heard  nothing  more. 

She  sat  up,  took  out  her  watch  and  wound  it,  ob 
served  the  time,  which  was  now  half-past  four.  Then 
she  opened  the  satchel,  spread  out  the  collation  poor 
Sue  had  put  up,  and  began  to  eat,  for  she  was  very 
hungry.  The  cold  tea  helped  to  quench  her  thirst, 
and  then  she  crept  partly  out  and  ate  a  dessert  of 
raspberries.  Little  Rose  was  awake,  so  she  took  the 
opportunity  to  change  a  portion  of  her  clothing. 
Then,  the  child  lying  with  wide-opened  eyes  and  star 
ing  at  the  strange  wall  overhead,  Dolores  begun  to 
think.  She  was  greatly  refreshed  by  her  meal  and 
her  long  sleep,  and  her  mind  was  very  clear. 

"  I  could  live  here,"  she  thought,  "  with  the  berries 
and  crackers  two  more  days.  No  one  would  molest 
me,  and  it  is  not  likely  they  would  hear  the  child  if 
she  did  cry  a  little,  and  I  would  take  care  she  cried 
very  little  indeed.  But  after  that,  what  then  ?  For 
it  is  not  probable  they  would  give  up  the  search  in  a 
week.  Alfred  wants  to  kill  a  little  more  time  before 
he  goes  home.  He  has  the  thousand  dollars  he  stole 
from  me,  and  the  wages  of  two  men  would  amount  to 
little.  He  will  not  send  them  out,  perhaps,  until 
morning,  for  he  may  not  be  able  to  find  those  he 
would  like  at  a  moment's  notice.  They  will  know 
every  nook  in  these  mountains,  perhaps  may  come 
directly  to  this  spot  where  I  have  taken  refuge.  Com 
fortless  as  it  is  I  dread  to  leave  it,  but  it  has  sheltered 
me  safe  from  observation  while  I  slept  a  long,  refresh 
ing  sleep  ;  it  has  served  my  purpose  when  I  was 
sorely  pressed,  and  I  must  not  allow  it  to  entice  me 
to  stay  when  it  would  be  dangerous  for  me  to  do  so." 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  151 

She  crept  cautiously  out,  peering  all  around  her, 
but  no  one  was  in  sight.  She  longed  to  go  and  take 
one  more  look  at  faithful  Sue's  body,  but  feared  to 
retrace  her  steps.  Glancing  toward  the  south-west 
she  sought  for  some  trace  of  a  dwelling  but  found 
none.  There  were  no  more  high  hills,  only  a  wide, 
undulating  plain,  and  on  the  horizon's  edge,  in  the 
direction  she  wished  to  take,  she  saw  three  trees 
towering  above  the  surrounding  forest.  These  must 
be  her  guide.  She  would  make  directly  for  them, 
setting  out  at  once.  She  went  back,  took  the  clothing 
and  food  out  of  the  satchel,  which  was  too  heavy  to 
carry,  made  them  up  in  two  packages  and  fastened 
them  about  her  waist.  She  dared  not  as  yet  exchange 
her  torn  shoes  for  the  ones  Sue  had  put  in  the  sat 
chel,  for  they  were  too  precious  to  throw  away  as  long 
as  they  would  cling  to  her  feet. 

Once  more  she  gathered  and  ate  the  luscious 
berries,  and  then  putting  the  shawl  around  her  she 
took  up  the  child  and  hastened  on  her  dreary  way. 
It  was  rough,  and  in  some  places  almost  impassable. 
At  first  she  was  cautious,  lest  the  bushes'  should  re 
tain  some  portion  of  her  clothing,  but  after  walking 
some  distance  she  grew  more  reckless.  She  saw 
nothing  but  the  trees,  which,  standing  upon  a  slight 
elevation,  still  marked  the  horizon ;  she  heard  noth 
ing  but  the  wind  sighing  through  the  lonely  forest  ; 
she  felt  nothing  except  that  she  was  walking  to  save 
herself  and  child.  Death  was  not  far  ahead,  perhaps, 
but  slavery  and  torture  were  behind.  The  first  in  any 
form  was  preferable  to  the  last. 

A  clear,  starlight  night  came  on,  but  she  did  not 
stop  to  look  at  the  stars.  She  only  saw  it  was  light 
enough  to  still  distinguish  the  three  giant  trees,  and 
thither  she  hastened  with  what  speed  she  could.  The 
babe  did  not  seem  to  sleep,  but  she  did  not  cry. 
Perhaps  she  was  watching  the  stars,  for  she  kept  her 
round,  bright  eyes  fixed  upon  the  sky  when  the 
branches  did  not  hide  it,  as  she  lay,  face  upward,  in 
her  mother's  arms. 


152  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

Once  when  Dolores  came  to  a  tiny  brooklet  she 
paused  to  slake  her  thirst,  to  feed  her  child  and  to  dip 
her  burning  feet  into  the  water ;  then  taking  up 
her  burthen  she  sped  on.  The  stars  were  still  out 
when  she  reached  the  three  giant  trees.  Weak  and 
weary  she  sank  down  beneath  them  and  rested  for 
nearly  an  hour.  Then  she  rose  and  embraced  them, 
as  if  old  friends  with  whom  she  was  parting,  and 
looked  out  still  toward  the  south-west  for  another 
guide.  There  were  occasional  cleared  fields.  She 
was  beginning  to  leave  the  mountains  and  the  forests 
behind.  Singling  out  a  clearing  which  was  on  a  small 
hill — a  narrow,  smooth  field  between  two  tall  forests, 
or  so  it  seemed  in  the  uncertain  light — she  set  out  to 
gain  that  as  her  next  resting-place.  She  was  not  tired 
now.  The  place  where  she  had  stopped  the  previous 
morning  looked  so  far  away  that  the  distance  com 
forted  her  and  gave  her  new  strength.  She  did  not 
think  of  the  future  or  anything  beyond  that  clearing 
far  away  in  the  dim  light.  When  she  reached  that, 
and  came  to  view  the  ground,  she  would  have  strength 
to  plan  her  next  course  ;  her  sole  efforts  in  the  present 
were  put  forth  to  gain  that.  She  never  glanced  be 
hind  to  see  whether  any  one  was  pursuing  her.  She 
shunned  no  clearing,  she  shrank  into  no  shadow,  but 
kept  on  as  true  to  the  point  she  sought  as  the  needle 
to  the  pole.  She  hoped  to  reach  it  before  daylight, 
but  light  came  and  still  left  some  distance  to  be 
traversed. 

She  had  now  been  walking,  almost  without  inter 
mission,  for  twelve  hours.  She  was  nearly  exhausted, 
but  this  she  scarcely  knew  ;  she  could  have  walked 
until  she  dropped  dead. 

The  clearing  was  reached  at  last ;  it  was  some  time 
after  sunrise.  She  entered  it  and  glanced  about,  not 
knowing  whether  to  be  frightened  or  glad,  for 
there,  in  the  shadow  of  the  forest,  stood  a  rude  log 
hut,  with  small,  square  windows  devoid  of  glass, 
and  smoke  pouring  from  a  small  stone  chimney.  A 
man  stood  in  the  doorway  smoking  his  pipe.  He 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  153 

was  attired  in  coarse  clothing,  so  patched  one  could 
not  guess  what  the  original  material  might  have  been. 
He  saw  her  the  moment  she  issued  from  the  wood,  so 
there  was  nothing  to  be  done  but  to  go  forward  and 
make  him  her  friend,  if  possible. 

"Good  morning,"  she  said,  politely. 

"  Good  morning,"  he  answered,  rather  doggedly, 
puffing  away  at  his  pipe. 

Dolores  scanned  his  features  and  found  little  to  en 
courage  her.  Whatever  help  she  gained  from  him 
must  be  bought  and  paid  for.  It  was  of  no  use  to  tell 
her  story,  except  so  much  of  it  as  she  might  deem 
necessary. 

"  I  am  very  tired,"  she  said,  "and  would  like  to  sit 
down  and  rest.  I  will  pay  you  well  if  you  will  give 
me  food  and  shelter  for  a  few  days." 

A  woman  scarcely  more  prepossessing  in  appear 
ance  than  her  husband  came  to  the  door  in  time  to 
hear  the  last  remark. 

"  Come  in,"  she  said,  brightening.  "  Have  you 
lost  your  way  ?" 

"I  have,  indeed,"  said  Dolores,  as  she  followed  her 
into  the  house,  "and  I  fear  I  shall  never  find  it  again." 
And  then  she  fell  fainting  upon  the  floor. 


CHAPTER   XXVI. 

A      WARM      RECEPTION. 

When  Dolores  opened  her  eyes  she  found  herself 
upon  a  feather  bed  in  a  corner  of  the  room,  and  so 
perfectly  exhausted  was  she  it  seemed  to  her  the 
most  comfortable  and  soft  of  any  she  had  ever  known. 
There  was  a  patch-work  quilt  thrown  over  her.  To 
her  dying  day  she  never  forgot  the  medley  of  incon 
gruous  colors  it  contained.  The  woman  had  a  fright 
ened  look  upon  her  face,  and  was  bathing  Dolores' 
forehead  with  camphor,  while  little  Rose  was  lying 
quietly  by  her  side. 

"Sakes   alive,    child!"    exclaimed  the  woman,   as 


154  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOlilLlTV. 

Dolores  slowly  struggled  back  to  consciousness,  "  I 
thought  you  was  dead,  sure  !" 

Dolores  at  once  recognized  her  as  belonging  to  that 
type  of  persons  denominated  by  the  negroes  and  some 
of  the  white  Southern  people  as  "  poor  white  trash." 
She  had  seen  like  women  come  down  from  the  mount 
ains  in  Virginia  with  berries  to  sell.  They  spoke  a 
dialect  similar  to  that  employed  by  the  negroes,  and 
lived  rude  and  almost  solitary  lives.  This  woman 
ceased  bathing  the  head  of  her  visitor,  whom  she 
looked  upon  as  having  been  brought  to  her  door  by 
some  supernatural  power.  There  was  a  vast  wilder 
ness  on  every  side,  except  in  one  direction,  where 
there  was  what  they  called  a  short  cut  to  a  town  about 
five  miles  distant,  where  she  carried  berries  and  pats 
of  butter  and  received  in  return  sugar  and  tea  of 
doubtful  quality  in  small  quantities,  and  occasionally 
a  few  yards  of  print  or  jean.  Few  knew  this  route, 
however,  and  no  one  used  it  but  herself  and  husband. 
How,  then,  did  this  delicate  woman  find  her  way  to 
this  lonely  clearing  in  the  forest,  with  a  babe  in  her 
arms,  except  she  received  supernatural  aid  ? 

"  1  shall  not  die,"  Dolores  said.  "  I  am  weak,  hav 
ing  traveled  a  long  way.  I  want  to  remain  here  and 
rest.  Though  I  seem  friendless  I  have  friends  and 
some  money,  and  will  pay  you  for  any  service  you 
may  render  me." 

"  'Taint  much  I  kin  give,"  the  woman  said  ;  "but 
we  are  poor — Peter  and  me — and  we  will  do  anything 
you  want  if  you'll  pay  us." 

Dolores  took  out  her  purse  containing  the  money 
poor  Sue  had  saved  for  her,  together  with  some  of  her 
own.  It  contained  three  half  eagles,  and  some  smaller 
gold  and  silver  coins.  The  woman's  husband,  whom 
she  had  called  Peter,  came  near  the  bedside  at  sight 
of  the  money,  looking  less  forbidding  than  before. 
Dolores  handed  his  wife  one  of  the  larger  gold  pieces. 

"I  want  you  to  keep  me  for  two  weeks,"  she  said. 
"  I  want  rest,  plain  food,  and  you  must  hide  me  if 
any  one  comes  in  search  of  me  and  my  child.  When 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  155 

I  go  away  I  will  give  you  as  much  more.  I  would 
give  you  all  I  have,  but  I  must  travel  some  distance 
after  I  leave  here  and  will  need  the  rest  before  I 
reach  my  friends." 

"  What  do  you  say,  Peter  ?"  the  woman  asked, 
handing  him  the  gold  coin. 

He  took  it,  looked  at  it  sharply,  turned  it  over, 
whirled  it  upon  the  table  to  see  if  it  were  good,  and 
then,  quite  satisfied,  he  placed  it  in  his  pocket. 

"I  don't  object,  Jane,"  he  returned. 

"  I  want  you  to  be  sure  and  hide  me  if  any  one 
comes,"  Dolores  said  once  more.  ''Could  you  see 
any  one  before  they  came  in  the  door  ?" 

"Oh,  yes,  never  fear,"  he  replied.  "So  few  do 
find  the  place  we  always  see  them  as  soon  as  they 
come  in  sight.  We  could  tuck  you  away  in  the  loft, 
or  somewhere,  and  no  one  could  find  you." 

"  Thanks,"  she  answered,  seeming  somewhat  reas 
sured.  "  I  don't  think  anyone  would  come  so  soon 
as  to-day,  but  they  might." 

A  sudden  suspicion  seemed  to  cross  the  man's 
mind. 

"  You  ain't  a  slave,  be  you  ?"  he  asked. 

Dolores  sprang  up  in  bed  suddenly,  and  turned  her 
white  face  toward  him. 

"  No,"  she  cried,  "  I  am  not  a  slave.  I  am  fleeing 
from  my  enemies  who  have  twice  tried  to  murder  me, 
and  will  surely  kill  me  now  if  I  am  found.  I  don't 
know  what  my  husband  may  tell  you  if  he  comes  for 
me.  He  may  tell  you  I  am  a  slave,  he  may  say  I  am 
insane,  but  indeed  I  am  neither.  He  is  tired  of  me 
and  wishes  to  put  me  out  of  his  way." 

"  Are  you  runnin'  away  from  your  husband  ?"  the 
woman  asked,  a  strange  look  coming  into  her  face  as 
she  turned  it  toward  her  husband. 

"  God  help  me,"  Dolores  said,  "  I  am  !" 

"  Don't  be  afeared,"  the  man  said,  suddenly  but  not 
unkindly. 

Dolores  sank  back  in  her  bed  utterly  exhausted. 
It  seemed  to  her  as  if  she  had  touched  a  sympathetic 


156  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    MOBILITY. 

chord  in  the  breasts  of  these  rude  people,  and  she  was- 
comforted  by  the  thought.  It  was  a  forlorn  comfort, 
but  it  partially  eased  her  mind  for  the  time.  Gradu 
ally  she  sank  into  a  half  stupor,  from  which  she  often 
roused  to  glance  around  and  sink  back  again.  She 
saw  the  woman  wash  and  dress  little  Rose,  feed 
her  with  some  warm,  diluted  milk,  hush  her  to 
sleep,  and  lay  her  upon  the  back  part  of  the  bed. 
From  this  stupor  she  was  aroused  when  the  woman 
brought  out  a  coarse  but  clean  white  gown  of  her 
own  and  assisted  her  to  put  it  on.  The  worn 
shoes  and  tattered  stockings  were  then  removed  and 
her  swollen  feet  bathed  and  bandaged.  Dolores 
thanked  her,  she  felt  so  much  easier,  almost  as  though 
she  might  sleep.  But  Jane  was  not  done  with  her 
kind  ministering.  She  drew  a  cup  of  tea,  and  taking 
out  a  small  white  loaf,  cut  a  slice,  toasted  it,  and 
brought  it,  with  the  tea,  to  the  bedside.  Dolores  ate 
and  drank,  and  afterwards  felt  more  refreshed  than 
she  could  have  thought  it  possible  a  few  moments 
before. ' 

Peter  had  gone  outside  for  a  time,  but  now  he  came 
in,  asking  Jane  if  he  could  be  of  any  service.  She 
answered  in  a  low  tone,  and  taking  a  pail  he  went  out 
and  brought  it  full  of  clear  spring  water,  pouring  it 
into  a  pot  which  Jane  hung  over  the  fire  in  the  wide 
fireplace,  across  which  hung  a  great  iron  crane.  He 
went  out  twice  more  upon  the  same  errand,  partly 
filling  a  tub  with  the  water,  and  as  he  came  in  with  his 
last  pailful  he  passed  near  Dolores,  saying  as  before, 

"  Don't  be  afeared." 

She  smiled  in  return,  and  then  he  went  out,  while 
Jane  proceeded  to  wash  the  clothing  of  both  mother 
and  infant,  except  Dolores*  dress,  which  she  exam 
ined,  then  folded  and  put  away  in  a  large  chest  which 
stood  at  the  back  of  the  room.  Her  shawl  was  placed 
in  the  same  receptacle,  and  drawing  from  one  end  of 
the  chest  a  bandbox,  she  brought  out  a  large  anti 
quated  bonnet,  and  placing  Dolores'  hat  inside  of  it 
returned  it  to  the  box. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  157 

"  I  want  to  git  everything  out  of  sight,"  she  ex 
plained  to  Dolores,  who  bent  her  head  and  faintly 
smiled. 

Into  what  good  hands  she  had  fallen  !  She  could 
not  feel  sufficiently  grateful  ;  and  their  kindness,  to 
gether  with  her  exhausted  state,  caused  her  to  fall 
into  a  light  slumber.  When  she  awoke  the  clothing 
Jane  had  washed  hung  upon  a  line  which  had  been 
stretched  across  the  chimney  above  the  fireplace. 
Peter  was  coming  in  with  another  pail  of  spring  water. 
She  half  rose  in  her  bed. 

"I  would  like  a  drink,  if  you  please,"  she  said. 

He  brought  it  in  a  tin  cup,  and  she  drank  eagerly. 

"  Thanks,"  she  murmured,  gratefully. 

"  I'm  keepin'  a  right  smart  lookout,"  he  said, 
kindly.  "  Don't  be  afeared." 

It  seemed  to  her,  as  she  lay  there  thinking  over  the 
manner  in  which  she  had  been  received,  that  it  was 
not,  after  all,  her  money  alone  which  had  made  these 
two  uncouth  and  apparently  ignorant  people  seem  so 
attentive  to  her.  Surely  it  was  not  her  forlorn  con 
dition,  for  that  had  failed  to  touch  them  perceptibly 
at  first.  If  it  was  their  greed  for  money,  would  they 
not  be  ready  to  give  her  up  if  Alfred  came  offering  a 
reward  ?  He  was  not  noted  for  generosity  usually, 
but  this  was  an  extreme  case. 

While  she  was  busy  with  her  meditations  Jane  was 
not  idle.  She  deftly  ironed  the  clothes  she  had 
washed,  hanging  some  of  her  smaller  pieces  upon  the 
line  once  more  to  air,  and  depositing  the  skirt  and 
larger  pieces  belonging  to  Dolores  on  a  chair  at  a 
little  distance  from  the  fire.  And  then,  for  a  second 
time,  the  eyes  of  the  tired  mother,  after  contemplat 
ing  the  peaceful  slumbers  of  her  babe,  closed  in 
oblivion. 

The  child  woke  her  at  last,  and  looking  up,  as  soon 
as  she  had  gathered  it  in  her  arms,  she  saw  the  cloth 
ing  being  conveyed  to  the  great  chest.  A  long- 
handled  frying  pan  was  sputtering  over  the  fire,  a 
smell  of  bacon  issuing  from  it.  A  kettle  with  some- 


158  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

thing  boiling  in  it  hung  from  a  long  hook  upon  the 
crane,  and  a  covered  skillet  at  the  side  of  the  fire 
evidently  contained  something  choice,  from  the  man 
ner  in  which  Jane  hovered  over  it.  removing  the 
cover,  and  giving  the  contents  an  occasional  poke 
with  a  spoon  she  held  in  her  hand.  In  a  tin  kitchen 
which  sat  in  front  of  the  fire  some  corn  bread  was 
baking,  and  instead  of  being  disagreeable  these  vari 
ous  culinary  smells  were  rather  appetizing  than 
otherwise.  A  table,  set  with  old-fashioned  white 
ware,  with  a  blue  feathered  edge  about  each  dish, 
was  spread  in  the  centre  of  the  room.  The  snowy 
cloth  was  wanting  altogether,  the  dishes  being  set 
out  upon  a  dark  oilcloth  table-cover  ;  but  everything 
was  neat  and  clean,  and  Dolores  watched  it  from  her 
nook  in  the  corner,  thinking  the  picture  cozy,  though 
rude. 

When  dinner  was  ready  Jane  called  in  her  hus 
band,  who  seemed  to  have  an  alarming  appetite, 
judging  from  the  time  it  took  to  satisfy  it.  Bowl 
after  bowl  of  'milk  he  drank  to  wash  down  numerous 
slices  of  bacon  and  corn  bread,  to  say  nothing  of 
sweet  potatoes  without  number.  Twice  he  rose  and 
went  to  a  window  upon  one  side  of  the  house  and  the 
door  upon  the  other  to  watch  for  the  approach  of  any 
one  who  might  come  in  pursuit  of  the  fugitive,  who  was 
helplessly  in  his  power,  and  each  time  he  returned  to 
take  his  seat  at  the  table  he  nodded  reassuringly  to 
her,  and  to  quell  the  haunted  look  in  the  soft  dark 
eyes  bade  her  not  be  afraid.  When  he  rose  at  last, 
like  a  giant  refreshed,  Jane  drew  the  skillet  from  the 
fire  and  took  from  it  a  small  bird,  which  she  had 
stuffed  with  savory  dressing  and  roasted  brown  in  a 
little  butter.  Tempting  though  it  was,  Dolores 
found  her  appetite  had  gone  ;  but  the  woman  cut 
slices  from  the  breast  and  fed  her  with  her  own 
hands,  saying  she  must  eat  for  the  child's  sake.  So 
she  tried  to  gratify  her,  and  drank  eagerly  the  glass 
of  milk,  for  she  was  troubled  with  constant  thirst. 

The  day  dragged  wearily  by,  and  when  night  came 


SUKDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  159 

Dolores  was  almost  wild  with  fear.  The  shutters 
were  closed  when  it  was  really  dark  ;  like  the  door, 
they  were  fastened  with  a  strong  wooden  bar.  The 
fire  had  nearly  died  out,  and  Jane  brought  a  saucer 
of  grease  of  some  sort,  lighting  the  end  of  a  bit  of 
cotton  cloth  which  floated  in  it.  It  gave  out  a  sickly 
light  and  sickening  odor,  and,  after  covering  up  the 
coals  carefully  in  ashes  that  they  might  keep  until 
morning,  the  man  and  his  wife,  after  assuring  her  no 
one  could  enter,  went  up  the  ladder  into  the  loft  to 
sleep. 

"  Call  if  you  need  me,"  Jane  said,  and  then  Dolores 
was  left  alone  with  her  fears  and  her  child. 

All  night  long  she  tossed  in  feverish  wakefulness, 
wondering  vaguely  how  it  was  that  God  spared  her 
wretched  life,  caring  to  live  only  for  her  infant's  sake, 
and  longing  to  die  if  both  might  go  together.  But 
the  night  wore  away  and  morning  came.  When  break 
fast  was  over  Dolores  rose  and  sat  in  a  low  painted 
rocker  with  the  babe  in  her  lap,  while  Jane  aired  the 
bed  and  beat  it  into  smoothness  and  softness  with  her 
hard  but  deft  hands.  At  this  moment  Peter  put  his 
head  inside  the  door. 

"  The  brindle  heifer  is  missin',"  he  said,  "and  I've 
got  to  find  her,  but  I  wont  be  gone  long.  There  ain't 
nobody  nigh  now." 

The  bed  was  in  order,  all  but  turning  down  the 
hideous  but  comfortable  patch-work  quilt,  so  Jane  went 
outside  and  watched  her  husband  till  he  disappeared 
in  the  forest.  Then  turning  to  come  in  she  saw  a 
horseman  enter  the  clearing  from  the  opposite  side. 
She  did  not  seem  to  see  him,  however,  but  went  into 
the  house  and  leisurely  closed  the  door.  Dolores 
looked  up  into  her  face  and  knew  the  hour  she  dreaded 
had  come.  She  rose  from  the  chair  with  the  child  in 
her  arms.  Jane  was  opening  the  trap-door  of  the 
small  dark  hole  which  served  as  a  cellar. 

"  Go  down  there,"  she  whispered  ;  "  I  can't  get  the 
ladder  down  if  you  go  in  the  loft." 

Dolores  obeyed  without  a  word.      The  door  closed 


l6o  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

noiselessly  after  her,  and  the  bed  was  rolled  over  it. 
Then  taking  the  broom  Jane  began  to  sweep  with  a 
will.  With  what  dust  had  accumulated  under  the  bed 
she  soon  had  quite  a  heap  collected  near  the  door, 
which  she  opened  without  glancing  out.  Hearing 
a  footstep  and  catching  a  glimpse  of  an  approach 
ing  form,  by  a  deft  sweep  of  her  broom  she  sent 
the  contents  of  the  dust-heap  flying  through  the 
air,  rilling  the  eyes,  nose  and  ears  of  some  one  who 
was  just  about  to  ascend  the  rough  stone  steps  which 
led  to  the  door. 

An  oath,  followed  by  a  fit  of  coughing  and  sneez 
ing,  told  her  that  her  aim  had  been  unerring,  and  it 
was  now  time  to  show  some  surprise. 

"  Sakes  alive  !"  she  cried,  "  ef  it  ain't  a  man  !" 

;'  A  gentleman,  you  mean,  you  infernal  idiot  !"  cor 
rected  the  stranger,  in  no  gentle  tone. 

"  Laws  !"  she  said,  seeming  greatly  astonished. 
'•  Be  you  a  gentleman  ?"  and  then  she  raised  her 
broom  to  sweep  out  the  little  dust  that  remained. 

"  Hold  on,  can't  you  ?"  he  cried,  "  and  answer  me 
a  civil  question." 

"  I  kin  answer  a  civil  question,"  she  replied.  "  Kin 
you  ask  one  ?" 

"  Stand  aside,  you  impertinent  fool !"  exclaimed  he, 
"and  it  won't  be  necessary  to  ask  anything.  A  mouse 
couldn't  hide  away  in  this  miserable  hovel  of  yours," 
and  he  pushed  rudely  past  her,  looking  in  every  cor 
ner,  even  in  the  small  cupboard  by  the  chimney. 

"Is  there  anything  up-stairs  ?"  he  asked. 

"  Yes,"  she  answered,  "  all  my  silk  gowns.  Don't 
go  up,  for  I  hain't  got  one  to  spare." 

Up  the  ladder  he  rushed  at  this,  coming  down  a 
moment  later  more  angry  and  disappointed  than  ever. 

"Is  there  a  cellar  to  your  old  hut?"  he  said. 

"Oh,  yes,"  replied  she,  "and  a  parlor,  and  a  dinin'- 
room,  and  sixteen  bed-rooms." 

"  Look  here,"  he  cried,  white  with  anger,  "  I've 
stood  as  much  of  your  ignorant  and  impertinent 
gabble  as  I'm  going  to  stand.  Now  answer  me  one 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  l6l 

question.  Have  you  seen  anything  of  a  woman  with 
a  child  within  two  or  three  days  wandering  about 
here  ?" 

"  If  you  don't  like  my  talk,"  said  she,  coolly, 
"you'd  better  get  out  of  the  house.  I  reckon  you 
like  mine  as  well  as  I  like  yours.  You  know  well 
enough  women  and  children  never  come  to  such  an 
out-of-the-way  place  as  this.  If  my  husband  was 
home  you  wouldn't  dare  come  into  my  house  and 
rummage  it  over,  and  sarse  me  into  the  bargain.  And 
you  call  yourself  a  gentleman  ?" 

Alfred — for  the  reader  knows  it  was  Alfred — be 
came  more  and  more  enraged  as  the  woman  went  on. 
He  was  now  convinced  that  Dolores  was  either  dead 
or  had  made  her  escape.  He  had  been  advised  to 
visit  this  house,  as  it  was  the  only  one  within  several 
miles,  and  the  one  she  would  reach  in  all  probability. 
So  he  had  ridden  a  roundabout  way  for  hours,  deter 
mined,  if  he  did  find  his  wife,  to  endeavor  to  coax  her 
to  return  with  him,  promising  her  every  protection. 
He  was  angry  in  having  come  such  a  fatiguing  jour 
ney  upon  a  fool's  errand,  and  doubly  angered  at  the 
reception  he  had  met,  though  he  had  no  idea  that  the 
baptism  of  dust  was  intentional.  But  to  have  his 
right  to  the  name  of  gentleman  sneered  at  and 
doubted — he  who  bore  the  noble  name  of  Hastings — 
it  was  too  much.  With  an  oath  he  raised  his  hand  to 
strike  the  woman,  but  raised  it  only,  for  at  that  mo 
ment  the  door  swung  aside  to  admit  Peter's  burly 
form. 

"  A  gentleman  !"  cried  he.  "  Ef  you'm  a  gentle 
man  I'm  glad  I  ain't  one  !  A  gentleman !"  he  re 
peated.  "Oh,  yes,  any  one  would  take  you  for  a 
gentleman  ef  they  met  you  on  a  dark  night  and  hadn't 
nary  a  candle !" 

It  occurred  to  Alfred,  while  Peter  was  relieving 
himself  of  this  speech,  that  it  would  be  advisable  to 
vacate  the  premises  at  once,  and  he  was  about  to 
carry  his  plan  into  execution,  when  Peter,  divining 
his  intention,  came  quickly  forward  with  the  idea  of 


162  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

rendering  him  a  little  assistance.  This  little  would 
undoubtedly  have  been  greater,  only  for  the  fear  that 
arose  in  Peter's  mind  of  maiming  him  so  he  would  be 
unable  to  ride  away  as  he  came,  and  remembering 
that  discretion  was  the  better  part  of  valor,  he  re 
strained  himself  to  such  an  extent  that  Alfred  only 
received  a  kick  and  a  blow  which  sent  him  upon  his 
knees  down  the  stone  steps,  "  barkin'  'em  well,"  as 
Peter  grimly  informed  Jane,  after  Alfred  had  picked 
himself  up  and  went  limping  away  after  his  horse. 


CHAPTER   XXVII. 

NEW    FRIENDS. 

Breathlessly  Dolores  listened  to  what  was  passing 
above  her,  for  the  chinks  in  the  floor,  through  which 
she  could  see  daylight,  rendered  every  word  audible. 
She  trembled  violently,  and  rocked  her  body  to  and 
fro  to  soothe  her  infant,  whose  slightest  cry  would 
have  betrayed  all.  But  fortunately  the  interview  was 
short,  neither  Jane's  words  nor  Peter's  prompt  action 
having  tended  to  lengthen  it.  Scarcely  had  Alfred 
got  out  of  hearing  distance  when  little  Rose  began  to 
show  signs  of  restlessness,  not  liking  to  remain  in  the 
dark,  and  from  beginning  with  a  series  of  protests, 
uttered  in  baby  dialect,  she  cried  violently.  Dolores, 
not  quite  sure  that  Alfred  had  gone,  was  in  despair, 
but  Jane  removed  the  bed  from  the  trap-door  and 
assured  her  that  the  coast  was  clear. 

"He's  gone,"  she  said,  "and  you  kin  come  up  an' 
lay  down.  He  wont  come  back  agin,  I  warrant  you 
that.  Peter  fixed  him  ;  an'  besides,  he  haint  got  no 
idee  at  all  o'  yer  bein'  hyer." 

It  was  with  the  greatest  difficulty  that  Dolores 
made  her  way  up  the  ladder  into  the  room.  Jane 
came  down  and  took  the  babe,  and  Dolores  crept 
up  after  her,  Peter  at  last  reaching  down  his  brawny 
arms  and  lifting  her  almost  bodily,  never  letting  go 
his  hold  until  he  placed  her  upon  the  bed. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  163 

"  I  pity  a  dog  that  man  has  to  deal  with,"  he  said. 
"  Don't  be  afeared,  he  wont  come  back  agin." 

It  was  some  time  before  she  could  fully  realize  that 
all  danger  for  the  present  was  past,  but  at  length  she 
took  courage  and  was  not  afraid,  even  when  Peter  set 
out  again  in  search  of  the  "brindle  heifer."  Not 
being  a  great  distance  away  he  had  heard  Alfred's 
voice  when  he  uttered  the  angry  oaths  on  account  of 
receiving  the  dust  in  his  face,  and  had  turned  back  in 
time  to  save  Jane  from  harm  and  hasten  Alfred's 
departure. 

After  this  Dolores  gained  strength  rapidly.  There 
was  plenty  of  pure,  fresh  milk,  fresh  eggs,  sweet 
potatoes,  corn  bread  and  bacon,  besides  an  occa 
sional  bird  shot  by  Peter,  or  a  fowl  spared  from  their 
number,  though,  as  Jane  confided  to  Dolores,  they 
usually  sold  the  fowls.  However,  these  rude  hermits 
seemed  to  have  a  tender  spot  in  their  hearts,  for  be 
fore  a  week  had 'passed  they  offered  her  a  home  with 
them  if  she  would  remain. 

"  I  thank  you  very,  very  much,  my  dear,  kind 
friends,"  she  said,  "but  I  must  go  on.  My  husband 
will  not  be  satisfied  with  this  single  search.  It  may 
quiet  him  for  a  time,  but  he  will  grow  restless  and 
come  again,  not  alone.  Every  nook  and  corner  of 
the  wood  will  be  searched  as  well  as  your  house.  1 
would  not  be  safe  here  and  I  might  bring  you  only 
trouble." 

"  We  don't  mind  trouble,"  Peter  said  in  answer, 
"  but  I  s'pose  you've  got  friends  that  you're  goin' 
to?" 

"  Yes,  I  have  friends,"  she  replied,  "  though  they 
live  a  long  way  off.  I  will  try  to  reach  them.  But, 
if  you  don't  mind  telling  me,  I  would  like  to  ask  you 
why  you  have  been  so  kind  to  me.  It  cannot  be  be 
cause  of  the  little  money  I  am  giving  you,  for,  no 
doubt,  if  you  had  bargained  with  my  husband  when 
he  came  he  would  have  paid  you  far  more." 

"  It  wan't  the  money's  'count,  though  thet's  w'at  we 
tuck  ye  for  fust,"  said  Jane  ;  "  but  we  hed  a  darter  o' 


164  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

our  own  onct,  an',  strange  to  say,  she  war  a  purty  gal. 
Wai,  a  man  come  a-courtin'  her,  a  man  as  b'longed  to 
one  o'  the  high-tonedest  families  anywhar  roun',  an' 
he  tuck  her  away  and  sent  'er  to  school,  an'  Peter — 
fer  he  wouldn't  hev  no  foolin' — went  wi'  her  an' 
seed  'em  merried  by  a  reg'lar  parson,  one  he  knowed, 
so  that  all  was  right.  We  didn't  live  in  this  clarin' 
then,  but  a  good  smart  piece  up  the  kentry.  Wai,  the 
man  got  tired  o'  her  at  last.  He  ownded  a  big  plan 
tation,  an'  niggers  an'  all  that,  an'  I  spose  he  could 
merry  his  pick  o'  any  gal  in  the  kentry.  So  he  tuck 
our  pore  gal  outen  the  school,  purtendin"  he  war  goin' 
to  take  her  to  his  house.  'Stid  o'  that  he  tuck  her  to 
some  by-place  an'  kep'  a-givin'  o'-'er  slow  pizen.  He 
kep'  'er  thar  a  right  smart  while,  an'  finally  the  nigger 
gal  as  waited  on  'er  foun'  it  out  an'  tole  'er,  an'  she 
helped  'er  to  git  away.  An'  she  kem  back  to  us  i'  the 
night  an'  begged  us  to  save  'er  frem  'er  husban'. 

"We  tuck  'er  in  an'  made  'er  as  comfor'able  as  we 
knowed  how,  but  the  pore  thing  died  afore  she'd  been 
hum  two  days.  An'  that  mornin'  after  you  kem  to 
an'  said  you  was  a  hidin'  from  yer  husban' — wal,  it 
kinder  choked  us  up  an'  made  us  think  o'  our  pore 
gal  dead  an'  gone,  an'  we  said  as  how  we'd  take  keer 
o'  ye  come  what  would,  an'  we  did.  After  she  died 
the  place  got  kind  o'  lonesome,  so  we  moved  here, 
an'  clared  up  a  piece  o'  groun',  fer  we  didn't  want  ter 
see  nobody.  An'  we  don't  see  nobody,  'cept  once  in 
a  long  spell  a  pore  nigger  fotches  up  here  a-runnin' 
away  from  his  master,  an'  them  we  allus  help,  on 
'count  o'  the  gal  as  helped  our  Lizy.  We  don't  keer 
fer  nobody,  an'  we  don't  want  ter  see  nobody,  an' 
when  you  kem  we  thought  as  how  you  was  one  o' 
them  high-headed  wimmen  roun'  hyer  as  would  treat 
us  as  bad  as  they  treats  their  own  niggers,  an'  hed 
got  inter  some  scrape,  and  we  didn't  want  nuthin*  to 
do  with  ye,  on'y  when  we  found  you  hed  money  we 
thought  we  might  as  well  make  a  little  as  not.  But 
we  found  you  was  a  different  kind,  an"  besides,  the 
babby  is  so  peart,  ef  you  could  be  satisfied  to  put  up 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  165 

wi'  our  ways  we'd  like  to  keep  ye  wi'  us.  On'y,  ef 
its  fer  yer  own  good,  we  wouldn't  put  a  straw  in  yer 
way  o'  goin'." 

"Your  daughter's  experience  was  like  mine  in  some 
things,"  Dolores  said.  "  I  have  found  in  the  negroes 
my  truest  friends.  They  are  kind-hearted,  and  always 
ready  to  help  the  suffering  when  it  is  in  their  power 
to  do  so,  and  they  will  risk  even  their  lives  to  serve 
their  friends.  My  husband  brought  me  to  an  out- 
of-the-way  place  to  get  rid  of  me  also,  and  only 
for  the  faithful  aid  of  a  negro  servant  he  would 
have  accomplished  what  he  set  out  to  do.  She 
discovered  his  schemes — the  first  was  that  he  at 
tempted  to  poison  me — and  when  we  tried  to  escape 
together  he  followed,  and  because  she  had  on  my 
shawl  he  shot  at  her,  thinking  it  was  I,  and  killed  her. 
This  was  only  the  day  before  I  reached  here." 

"  It  wa'nt  fur  from  hyer,  then  ?"  said  Jane.  "  'An 
I  'spose  it  is  best  fer  ye  to  go.  I'm  awful  sorry ;  an' 
anyhow  we  wont  take  any  more  o'  yer  money,  shell 
we,  Peter  ?" 

"  No,"  he  said,  "we  can  git  along  well  enough  ;  we 
don't  want  it.  But  in  my  'pinion,  'fore  she  goes,  I'd 
better  go  to  the  Branch  an'  buy  her  a  par  o'  stout  calf 
shoes.  Them  air  she's  got  on  them  feet  o'  hern  ain't 
wuth  nothin'  to  walk  in,  an'  none  o'  yourn  wont  fit  her." 

So  the  shoes  were  bought,  and  fitting  her  out  as 
well  as  they  were  able,  with  her  clothing  mended  and 
clean,  and  food  enough  to  last  her  for  some  days, 
Dolores  thanked  them  with  tears  in  her  eyes  and 
continued  her  journey.  Jane  accompanied  her  for 
three  or  four  miles,  carrying  her  child,  and  then  left 
her  to  go  on  alone.  Peter  had  directed  her  as  well 
as  he  could  the  way  she  had  better  take,  advising 
her  to  keep  to  the  south-west  as  nearly  as  possible. 

It  had  occurred  to  her  a  day  or  so  before  she  left 
the  cabin  that  if  she  could  only  write  to  Kick  he 
would  come  for  her  and  take  her  home.  But  sne  was 
afraid  to  do  this.  She  felt  Alfred  would  not  leave  a 
stone  unturned  to  find  her,  and  she  feared  the  neigh- 


l66  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

boring  postmasters  had  been  notified  by  him  to  stop 
any  letter  that  might  be  directed  to  Rick  Gonzales,  as 
it  might  lead  to  the  finding  of  a  runaway  slave,  and 
she  did  not  for  a  moment  doubt  that  they  would  do  so. 
She  knew  that  all  conspired  against  the  slaves,  and  any 
thing  that  led  to  the  capture  of  one  who' had  attempted 
to  escape  was  considered  lawful  and  right,  though 
that  one  act  might  break  all  the  ten  commandments 
at  once  and  every  law  in  the  United  States  besides. 
Unfortunately  there  were  few  of  the  last  to  break,  and 
none  that  in  any  way  favored  the  slaves  or  recognized 
them  as  human  beings. 

For  four  days  Dolores  went  on  her  way  in  what, 
compared  to  her  first  hasty  flight,  might  have  been 
called  comparative  comfort.  She  grew  very  weary,  it 
is  true,  but  she  did  not  allow  herself  to  go  more  than 
two  hours  at  a  time  without  stopping  to  rest.  She 
found  plenty  of  clear  spring  water,  and  sometimes 
berries,  and  she  always  paused  to  gather  these  to  eke 
out  her  food,  which  was  slowly  but  surely  diminish 
ing.  She  avoided  going  too  near  any  house  as  long 
as  her  food  held  out,  for  fear  of  leaving  some  trace 
by  which  she  might  be  discovered  ;  but  at  length,  her 
little  store  exhausted,  her  clothing  growing  soiled,  and 
herself  very  weary,  she  determined  to  seek  out  some 
small,  obscure  house,  walk  boldly  to  it,  ask  a  night's 
lodging  and  offer  payment  for  it,  and  then  endeavor 
to  obtain  some  one  to  drive  her  some  miles  farther 
upon  her  journey.  She  felt  it  was  a  bold  move,  but 
she  grew  less  and  less  afraid  as  she  left  the  miles 
behind  her,  for  she  felt  that  Alfred  would  not  be 
likely  to  pursue  her  farther.  He  would  be  afraid  of 
pushing  the  search  lest  he  might  meet  some  one  who 
knew  him,  for  when  inquiring  about  the  slave  trader 
who  had  bought  Prudy,  poor  Sue's  daughter,  she 
found  he  came  from  this  vicinity.  She  had  tried  to 
find  Prudy,  and  she  knew  Rick  had  also,  but  that  he 
had  been  unsuccessful  she  was  assured,  or  he  would 
have  sent  her  word.  It  was  now  too  late  to  restore 
mother  and  daughter,  but  Dolores  felt  her  weary 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    MOBILITY.  167 

heart  warm  toward  the  daughter  of  the  woman  who 
had  given  her  life  for  hers. 

She  combed  her  hair  and  washed  her  face  at  a 
woodland  spring,  changed  her  rough  shoes  for  her 
better  ones,  and  made  herself  as  presentable  as  pos 
sible  ;  then  she  turned  into  the  main  road  for  the  first 
time.  She  had  not  proceeded  far  before  she  heard 
the  steps  of  a  horse,  and  sitting  down  under  a  tree 
she  put  her  bundle  out  of  sight,  lay  her  child  upon 
her  knee  and  began  playing  with  it.  A  moment  later  a 
horseman  passed,  a  man  with  a  rough  but,  upon  the 
whole,  an  aristocratic  bearing,  a  man  of  middle  age, 
a  gentleman,  no  doubt.  He  glanced  toward  mother 
and  child,  seeming  interested  in  the  pair,  and  lifted 
his  hat  as  he  passed. 

To  her  delight  he  seemed  to  recognize  her  as  a 
lady,  and  it  served  to  allay  her  fears.  As  soon  as  he 
was  out  of  sight  she  singled  out  a  small  house  which 
seemed  to  have  no  negro  cabins  about  it,  went  to  the 
door  and  knocked,  putting  on  a  brave  face,  though 
slightly  fearful  at  the  last. 

A  neat-looking  mulatto  girl  answered  her  summons, 
and  she  was  at  once  ushered  into  a  parlor,  which 
showed  signs  of  wealth  in  an  occasional  article  of  rich 
furniture. 

"  Is  your  mistress  at  home  ?"  asked  Dolores,  whose 
heart  sank  within  her  as,  glancing  out  of  a  rear  win 
dow,  she  saw  a  cluster  of  cabins  which  the  hill  had 
hidden  from  her  sight. 

"  No,  ma'am,"  the  girl  replied,  i:dey  is  all  gone  to 
Scrabbleton  ter  'tend  a  weddin',  and  won't  be  home 
twell  midnight." 

"In  that  case,"  Dolores  said,  taking  heart  again, 
"  perhaps  you  will  answer  as  well  as  your  mistress.  I 
have  lost  my  way,  and  am  very  tired  and  hungry. 
May  I  rest  here  a  few  moments,  and  will  you  be  kind 
enough  to  give  me  something  to  eat  ?" 

"  Sartin,"  the  girl  replied.  She  started  to  go  out 
and  then  she  turned  back.  " 'Scuse  me,"  she  said, 
"askin",  but  de  niggahs  am  so  w'ite  in  dese  days  1 


l68  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

want  ter  ax  ye  ef  you  is  a  slave  ?  Not  dat  yer  looks 
tells  me  so,  but,  oh,  you  is  fer  all  de  worl',  'side  from 
looks — dat  is,  you  'pears  so  forlorn-likeyou  does  make 
me  tink  ob  a  gal  w'at  was  mos'  w'te  w'at  was  a-run- 
nin'  away  from  her  mas'r,  an'  dey  set  de  dogs  on  her 
an'  cotch  her,  an'  bring  her  all  a-bleedin',  an'  han'- 
cuffed  her  an'  tuck  her  back." 

"  No,"  Dolores  answered,  "  I  am  not  a  slave,  but  I 
am  afraid  of  being  taken  for  one.  Perhaps  I  had 
better  not  stop,  for  if  your  master  and  mistress  were 
to  return " 

"  Now  nebber  you  feah  dat.  But  de  place  am  full 
o'  little  darkies,  an'  dey  might  tell  'bout  yer  in  de 
mawnin',  an'  I  jes'  'vise  yer  to  step  up  inter  de  room 
where  I  sleeps.  It  ain't  no  moan  nor  a  closet,  but 
you  kin  lay  down  an'  rest  'twell  mos' mornin',  an'  den 
I'll  let  you  out  when  dey  is  soun'  asleep  aftah  comin' 
home.  Come  right  along,  honey,  an'  lay  down,  an' 
I'll  bring  yer  somefin  right  off.  I'll  tell  Dinah  dat 
Missus  tole  me  not  ter  go  outen  de  house,  an'  I'll 
bring  in  a  good  lot  o'  vittles  an'  make  her  beliebe  I  is 
feahful  hungry.  Dis  way,  honey,  an'  don't  let  de  chile 
cry  ef  yer  kin  help  it." 

Dolores  followed  the  girl  up-stairs.  Traveling  alone 
was  very  much  against  her.  She  had  heard  the 
Southern  people  were  notably  hospitable,  but  she 
knew  they  were  not  so  to  those  in  real  need  of  hos 
pitality.  She  had  not  the  slightest  fear  that  the  girl 
would  betray  her,  and  she  took  her  proffered  aid 
most  thankfully. 

Once  within  the  little  room  to  which  she  was  con 
ducted  by  the  girl,  who  gave  her  name  as  Chloe,  she 
sank  down  exhausted  upon  the  little  cot  the  place 
afforded,  and  placed  her  infant  by  her  side. 

"  But  yo'  does  look  all  done  beat  out,"  said  Chloe. 
"  Mebbe  I'd  bettah  tell  Dinah  'bout  yer — she'd  nebber 
tell,  an'  she'd  fix  yer  up  moah  comfortable  like." 

"  You  may  tell  her,  I  am  not  afraid,"  Dolores  said, 
and  in  a  few  moments  Chloe  returned  with  a  great, 
strapping  black  woman  at  her  heels. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  169 

"  De  Lo'd  a-marcy  !"  exclaimed  Dinah,  "but  yo' 
does  look  all  but  gone." 

Dolores  raised  her  head  a  moment. 

"  Dinah,  Chloe,"  she  said,  "  I  am  Spanish,  and 
married  to  a  man  who  is  a  large  slaveholder.  There 
is  a  small  quantity  of  negro  blood  in  my  veins,  but  I 
had  some  money  and  my  husband  married  me  for 
that.  Soon  after  my  child  was  born  he  found  out 
about  my  origin,  and  he  took  me  into  the  mountains 
of  Tennessee  and  sold  me  and  my  child — his  lawful 
child — for  slaves.  I  escaped,  found  help,  and  am 
making  my  way  to  Mississippi,  where  I  have  wealthy 
friends  who  will  help  me.  I  beg  of  you  give  me  food 
and  let  me  rest  until  in  the  night,  when  I  will  go  on 
my  journey." 

"  De  Lo'd  a-marcy  !"  cried  Dinah,  and  with  that 
she  sprang  up  and  ran  down-stairs  as  fast  as  her  feet 
could  carry  her  fat  body. 

Chloe  smiled,  and  going  into  the  next  room  she 
brought  a  bowl  of  water  and  a  towel,  that  Dolores 
might  bathe  her  face.  Soon  after,  Dinah  again  ap 
peared  with  the  remains  of  a  chicken  pie,  some  cold 
ham,  corn  bread,  pickles  and  a  cup  of  tea.  Dolores 
was  so  hungry  she  was  not  slow  to  follow  the  advice 
Dinah  gave  her  as  she  set  it  down. 

"Now  eat  all  yer  anyways  kin,  honey,  an"  don't  be 
afeard  o'  nobody,"  and  after  this  admonition  she  took 
up  the  baby,  who,  though  looking  rather  tired,  bright 
ened  up  the  moment  she  saw  the  kindly  dark  face, 
and  began  to  crow,  thinking  it  was  Sue  come  back 
again. 

As  soon  as  Dolores  had  finished  Dinah  addressed 
her  again. 

"  Now,  honey,  de  nex'  ting  is  ter  take  off  yer  close. 
Chloe,  bring  one  ob  de  missus'  gowns — it'll  be  washed 
afore  she  sees  it  agin — fo'  de  lady  ter  put  on,  an'  den 
we'll  make  dese  air  a  little  decent.  We'd  gib  yer 
some  o'  ourn  an'  welcom',  on'y  we  haint  got  nuffin' 
nice,  an'  yer  own  is  bettah  if  dey  is  washed.  I'll 
ten'  ter  clem,  an'  Chloe,  yo'  take  der  baby  w'ile  its 


170  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

mammy  rests.     It  ain't  much  we  kin  do  to  help  her, 
but  w'at  we  kin  de  Lo'd  knoes  we  does  willin'." 

And  without  the  slightest  fear  in  her  head  Dolores 
threw  herself  on  the  bed  and  was  soon  asleep. 

Meanwhile  Chloe  and  Dinah  were  busy.  Her  own 
and  the  baby's  clothing  were  washed  and  hung  to 
dry,  her  dress  and  bonnet  brushed,  and  then  Dinah 
set  to  work  to  prepare  her  a  lunch,  puzzling  her  brain 
meanwhile  to  think  how  she  could  aid  Dolores  further. 
She  could  not  remain  in  the  house  later  than  ten 
o'clock,  as  her  absence  from  her  own  cabin  would  be 
remarked,  and  she  wished  everything  kept  quiet.  The 
washing  no  one  would  observe,  as  she  was  to  have 
some  done  for  her  mistress  (who  also  had  an  infant) 
during  her  absence.  Before  dark  the  clothing  was 
dried  and  ironed  and  taken  into  the  house  to  air.  She 
peeped  into  the  little  room  and  found  Dolores  awake, 
so  she  went  in  and  sat  down. 

"  I  links,  honey,"  said  she,  "dat  yer  oughter  trabble 
as  a  lady  an'  den  nobody'll  'spect  yer.  Has  yer  got 
any  money  ?" 

"Yes,"  Dolores  answered,  "I  have  a  little,  but  I 
don't  think  I  could  travel  far  on  it.  I  have  about 
fifteen  dollars,  that  is  all." 

"  Wall,  now,  I  dunno,  but  I  tink  yo'  kin  go  a  right 
smart  ways  wi'  dat.  If  yer  had  jest  one  niggah  to 
nuss  de  baby,  but  dat  yo'  hasn't  got.  Did  yer  tole 
me  yer  could  talk  Spanish  ?" 

"  Yes,"  again  answered  Dolores,  "  I  speak  it  the 
same  as  English." 

"  Den  I  b'liebe  I  ken  fix  yer  all  out.  I'll  gib  yer  a 
good  big  snack,  an'  'bout  two  or  free  'clock  to-morrow 
mawnin'  Chloe  '11  let  yer  outen  de  house.  Take  de 
road  dat  goes  down  de  hill  to  yer  right,  an' walk  inter 
de  fust  woods  an'  hide.  My  ole  man  Jim  ginerally 
goes  to  Scrabbleton  fur  de  mail  ebery  mawnin',  cos 
Missus  is  anxious  'bout  her  sistahdat  is  sick  in  Louis 
ville.  He'll  go  in  de  mawnin',  an'  w'en  he  gits  to  de 
woods  he'll  sing, 

'  DC  Mefodist  an'  Baptist  am  jes'  gone  along  !' 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  I  71 

an'  w'en  yer  heahs  him,  yer  come  out  and  he'll  drive  yer 
in  style  fro  Scrabbleton  on  ter  Hillside,  an'  w'en  he 
gits  ter  Hillside  he'll  drive  yer  up  ter  de  tabern  dah, 
an"  yo'  git  out  an'  ask  fer  a  room  an'  a  waggin  to  ride 
i'urder.  Act  careless  like,  an'  don't  pay  no  moah  nor 
yer  wants  ter.  Sta't  off  as  soon  as  yer  kin.  Yer 
needn't  eat  nuffin'  in  de  place,  fer  I'll  put  some  hot 
coffee  inter  a  bottle  and  send  yer  some  chicking  an' 
pone  by  Jim,  and  yer  eat  dat  afoah  yo'  sta't.  Pay 
out  yer  money  a-ridin',  an'  dat  way  de  vittles  I  put 
yo'  up  '11  last  a  right  smart  spell.  I'll  try  an'  pick  yer 
up  a  veil,  an'  yo'  war  dat,  an'  nobody  '11  know  yer." 

Dolores  felt  that  this  was  sound  advice.  By  this 
means  she  would  get  along  rapidly  and  be  enabled  to 
reach  Idlefield  within  a  few  days  at  the  latest. 

"  An'  you  is  ter  speak  like  a  furrin  woman,  an* 
nobody  '11  'spect  yer  den." 

"Thank  you,  Dinah,"  she  said,  "  for  your  kind  ad 
vice.  I  see  now  how  impossible  it  is  for  any  poor 
woman  to  travel  through  the  South  as  I  have  been 
doing  without  being  taken  for  a  slave,  and  your  way 
is  the  only  way."  And  then  she  thought  if  she  had 
only  Sue  how  well  she  might  have  got  along. 

The  last  thing  Dinah  did  before  leaving  the  house 
was  to  place  the  clean  clothing  in  a  neat  bundle,  the 
lunch  in  another,  and  tie  them  together  ;  then  plac 
ing  a  tray  of  edibles  in  the  room,  so  Dolores  might 
eat  her  late  supper  and  lie  down  again,  she  bade  her 
good-by  and  went  to  her  cabin  to  prepare  Jim  for  his 
work  in  the  morning. 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

IN    VAIN. 

Dolores  heard  the  family  return,  heard  the  whining 
voice  of  the  lady  of  the  house  as  she  bade  her  maid 
take  off  her  shoes,  for  her  feet  were  nearly  blistered 
with  dancing.  Then  in  the  same  voice  she  poured 
out  order  upon  order,  the  whining  tone  becoming 


iy>  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

sharp  and  shrill,  and  at  length  when  the  patient  maid 
was  unable  to  untie  the  knot  in  the  laces  of  her  bod 
ice,  there  came  two  or  three  quick  blows  in  the  face 
with  my  lady's  delicate  hand. 

"  I  don't  know  what  I  shall  do,"  she  exclaimed,  as 
though  there  was  never  a  woman  in  the  world  who 
suffered  such  constant  martyrdom  as  she.  "  I  try 
first  one  maid  and  then  another,  and  they  keep  on 
growing  worse  and  worse,  the  last  one  always  being 
more  clumsy  and  stupid  than  the  one  before  her. 
Here  I  am  so  exhausted  I  know  I'll  be  sick  to 
morrow,  and  this  insufferable  snail  is  bound  to  keep 
me  two  hours  before  she  gets  me  ready  for  bed." 

"It's  a  devilish  shame  !"  cried  her  husband.  "Why 
don't  you  get  a  rawhide  ?  Look  here,  girl,  if  you 
don't  stir  yourself  a  little  faster  I  swear  I'll  have  you 
flogged  good  and  soundly  to-morrow  !  I  won't  be 
kept  up  till  daylight  with  any  of  your  hellish  non 
sense  !" 

Dolores  felt  her  blood  boil  in  her  veins  as  she  list 
ened,  and  yet  the  bondage  to  which  this  girl  was  sub 
ject  was  mild  in  comparison  to  what  she  might  have 
expected — what  she  might  expect  still  if  she  failed  to 
make  good  her  escape.  To  her  would  never  be  as 
signed  the  position  of  lady's  maid  ;  a  far  worse  fate 
awaited  her,  she  never  doubted  that.  This  affection 
ate  scene  between  master,  mistress  and  servant, 
which  she  did  not  see  but  overheard,  did  much  to 
rouse  the  flagging  energies  of  Dolores.  She  felt  she 
could  endure  anything  but  capture  when  assigned  to 
a  fate  like  this. 

At  length  the  house  grew  still  and  Chloe  crept  up 
to  her  room. 

"  It  wa'nt  me,  ma'am,"  she  said  ;  "oh  no,  I  was  a- 
helpin'  wid  de  baby.  But  ef  dat  bressed  chillen  had 
a  cried  a  whimper  den  I'd  a  cotch  it  too.  It  am 
dreffle  de  way  missis  takes  on.  An'  mass'r's  gittiu' 
mos'  as  bad.  Yer  see,  she  riles  him  up  an'  starts  him 
a-goin'  wuss  nor  she  is  herself.  We  niggahs  don't 
hab  no  peace  o'  our  libes,  dat  is  jes'  w'at  we  don't  !" 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  173 

These  words  were  uttered  in  a  low  but  passionate 
whisper,  and  Dolores  did  not  wonder  when  Chloe  de 
clared  she  often  wished  herself  dead.  She  could  only 
implore  her  to  be  patient  and  pray  that  the  dear  God 
would  yet  remember  his  people  ;  but  here  Chloe  inter 
rupted  her. 

"  Dah  ain't  no  Lo'd,  nohow  !"  she  said.  "  W'y,  de 
debble'd  be  mos'  'shamed  o'  sich  tings  as  de  Lo'd 
'lows.  Or  ef  dah  am  any  Lo'd  he'm  on'y  fer  white 
folks.  He  don't  take  no  stock  in  niggers.  W'y, 
laws,  honey,  yer  might  jes'  as  well  be  in  de  bad  place 
itself  as  be  on  de  Lo'd's  earf  an'  hab  a  brack  skin  !" 

"  It  won't  always  be  so,  Chloe,"  she  said.  "  De 
pend  upon  it  help  is  near.  Be  patient,  for  the  day 
will  come  when  you  shall  be  as  free  as  your  mistress 
is  to-day." 

When  an  hour  or  two  had  elapsed  Chloe  went  out 
softly  to  see  if  the  coast  was  clear,  and  then  reporting 
that  all  was  well  she  slipped  out  through  the  front 
door,  followed  by  Dolores  and  the  child.  Once  out 
side,  however,  she  did  not  turn  back,  but  went  on 
down  to  the  highway. 

"Dey  won't  miss  me  fer  once,  t'ank  de  Lo'd,"  she 
said,  "  an'  I'se  gwine  down  ter  de  woods,  so  I  kin  tell 
Jim  de  bery  dentical  spot  whar  he'll  find  yer,  an'  den 
dey  won't  be  no  trouble,  an'  ef  he  don't  come  early 
wait  twell  he  does.  Dinah  or  me'll  run  down  ef  we 
kin  an"  let  yer  know  ef  he's  kep'.  Now,  good-by,  an' 
de  Lo'd  take  keer  on  ye  an'  help  yo  reach  yer  fren's 
all  safe  an'  soun'." 

She  had  guided  Dolores  to  a  secluded  spot  not  far 
from  the  main  road — not  far,  indeed,  from  the  house 
she  had  left  behind,  but  effectually  screened  from 
both  by  a  thick  forest  with  a  dense  undergrowth. 
Again  and  again  Dolores  thanked  her,  and  then  she 
turned  back  to  the  house. 

In  the  morning  Dolores  heard,  long  before  she  ex 
pected  it,  the  welcome  sound  of  the  song,  or,  rather, 
hymn,  which  Jim  was  to  sing  to  notify  her  of  his  ap 
proach.  She  waited,  however,  until  Jim,  after  tying  his 


174  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NUK1LITY. 

horse,  came  into  the  thicket  bearing  a  package  in  his 
hand.  It  proved  to  be  the  promised  breakfast,  and 
after  respectfully  saluting  her  he  drew  from  his 
pocket  a  flask  of  hot  coffee  and  proceeded  to  lay 
out  her  breakfast  upon  a  paper  which  he  spread  out 
on  the  ground.  He  even  took  the  baby  while  she 
ate,  dancing  the  child  up  and  down,  for  little  Rose 
was  growing  very  playful.  At  times  her  little  face 
wore  a  wise  and  melancholy  look,  as  if  she  sympa 
thized  with  her  mother's  trouble.  Dolores  had  few 
smiles  for  her,  yet  she  was  ready  to  crow  back  to 
Dinah  and  Jim  as  she  had  done  to  Peter  and  Jane,  at 
the  first  appearance  of  a  smile  upon  their  faces. 

The  meal  was  soon  dispatched  and  they  set  out 
upon  their  journey,  Dolores  taking  the  precaution  to 
tie  the  thick  veil  Dinah  had  given  her  across  her  face. 
She  felt  greatly  encouraged.  The  air  was  invigorat 
ing  as  they  rode  along.  It  was  so  much  more  cheering 
than  to  travel  through  the  dust  and  heat,  or  over 
brake  and  briar,  and  besides  the  nourishing  food  of 
which  she  had  just  partaken  had  wonderfully  refreshed 
her.  Dinah  was  right.  It  was  far  better  for  her  to 
expend  her  money  in  riding  as  far  as  possible  instead 
of  walking  and  laying  it  out  for  food. 

What  an  escape  she  had  had  !  She  was  so  thankful 
for  that.  If  Dinah's  master  or  mistress  had  chanced 
to  be  home,  or  if  it  had  happened  to  be  a  time  when 
the  negro  children  were  about  the  house  and  had  seen 
her,  she  might  have  been  captured,  held  and  adver 
tised,  and  in  case  no  one  claimed  her  she  would  have 
been  kept  in  bondage  under  the  man  and  woman  who 
appeared  so  brutal  the  night  before,  the  woman  even 
worse  than  her  husband. 

But  that  danger,  thank  Heaven,  was  over.  Dinah 
thought  she  could  go  a  long  day's  journey  for  five 
dollars,  and  Jim  was  of  the  same  opinion.  Here 
Jim  fumbled  in  his  pocket  a  moment  and  then  bash 
fully  brought  out  a  purse  made  of  a  piece  of  cloth, 
containing  a  few  silver  pieces,  which  he  said  was  a 
present  from  Dinah. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  175 

'•  I  cannot  take  her  savings,"  said  Dolores,  with 
tears  in  her  eyes,  "  indeed  I  cannot.  Tell  her  I  thank 
her  with  all  my  heart,  but " 

"  I  dassent  take  it  back  to  her,"  said  Jim.  "  I 
knows  it  ain't  much,  dey  is'nt  moah  nor  a  dollah  or  so, 
but  w'at  dey  is  you  is  welcome  to,  an'  it  may  keep  de 
wolf  away  jes'  at  de  las'  minit  w'en  you  is  all  but 
•done  out." 

She  finally  took  it,  thanking  him,  with  tears  stream 
ing  down  her  cheeks. 

It  was  an  hour's  ride  to  Scrambleton,  and  it  took 
half  an  hour  more  to  reach  Hillside,  the  next  village 
beyond,  though  the  first  had  only  five  or  six  houses  and 
the  last  but  three  or  four.  It  was  ten  miles  from 
where  they  had  started  in  the  morning — ten  miles 
nearer  Idlefield.  There  was  a  store  and  post-office 
•combined,  and  on  the  steps  sat  two  rough-looking 
men  with  wide-brimmed  hats  smoking.  There  was  a 
dwelling-house  and  a  hotel,  and  to  this  last  Jim  drove, 
set  her  down  with  a  flourish,  gave  her  the  parcel,  and, 
bowing  very  respectfully,  drove  away.  He  had 
charged  her  beforehand  not  to  give  him  anything 
more  than  a  casual  adieu,  as  it  would  be  observed,  so 
she  had  thanked  him  and  told  him  if  ever  in  trouble, 
and  it  was  possible,  to  send  word  to  Rick  Gonzales,  at 
Idlefield,  near  Milton,  Miss. 

A  polite  negro  came  out  of  the  tavern  as  soon  as 
Dolores  arrived,  and  he  at  once  conducted  her  to 
Avhat  was  called  the  public  parlor. 

"  I  want  a  room,"  she  said  in  broken  English,  "  but 
I  shall  not  stay  long.  I  am  traveling  and  I  want  to  go 
•on  as  soon  as  possible.  Could  you  send  the  landlord  to 
me  ?  Or  stay,  I  will  go  to  my  room  first.  You  may 
register  Senora  Valentin,  and  give  me  a  room  quick, 
as  I  am  tired." 

He  went  out  and  soon  returned,  saying  he  would 
show  her  at  once  to  her  room.  She  followed  him,  and  as 
she  passed  through  the  hall  she  saw,  without  directly 
looking,  that  the  bar-room  opposite  was  half  filled 
with  men  who  were  smoking,  drinking  and  swearing. 


176  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

She  repressed  a  shudder  as  she  passed  by  and  went 
up  the  staircase  to  her  room.  Once  there  she  shrank 
into  its  shelter  with  a  feeling  of  relief,  resolved  to 
leave  the  place  as  soon  as  possible.  The  negro  re 
tired,  saying  that  the  landlord  would  be  up  in  a 
moment. 

Dolores  had  only  time  to  take  off  bonnet,  veil  and 
shawl  when  the  man  appeared — a  rough,  swaggering 
fellow,  being  the  same  type  of  man  that  slave-traders 
usually  were.  He  bowed  very  low,  however,  asking 
her  what  she  desired  in  as  polite  a  manner  as  he  could 
command. 

"  I  want  to  go  to  a  friend's  some  distance  from 
here,"  she  said,  "and  I  do  not  know  the  exact  route 
I  ought  to  take.  I  wish  to  reach  Milton,  Mississippi, 
and  it  is  in  a  south-west  direction,  that  is  all  I  know. 
Can  you  get  me  a  suitable  man  to  take  me — well,  as 
far  as  I  can  go  before  nightfall  ?  I  want  to  make  all 
possible  speed,  for  it  is  a  case  of  life  and  death. 
How  far  could  I  go  before  night,  and  what  would 
you  charge  for  a  horse,  carriage  and  driver  for  the 
day  ?" 

"  Wall,  ma'am,  I  reckon  you  could  go  'bout  twenty- 
five  mile  or  so  providin'  your  horse  was  a  decent 
traveler;  but  unless  I  kin  come  across  somebody 
thet's  goin*  the  same  way  I  shell  hev  to  charge  fer 
two  days,  to  go  an'  return.  That  would  be  'bout — 
wal,  say  ten  dollars,  I  reckon.  I  might  say,  seein*  it's 
a  lady,"  with  a  horrid  grin,  "  eight  dollars.  Ef  I  kin 
find  someb'dy  goin'  thet  road  it  won't  be  more  nor 
five,  or  p'raps  four.  You  want  to  make  fer  Ramsey, 
thet'll  be  right  on  yer  route.  I'll  go  down  direc'ly  and 
see  about  it." 

"  Do,"  she  said,  not  forgetting  to  speak  with  a 
strong  foreign  accent,  "  and  let  me  know  at  once." 

Her  heart  began  to  fail  her.  If  she  must  pay 
eight  dollars  for  twenty-five  miles  her  money,  even 
with  Dinah's  gift  included,  would  only  take  her  fifty 
miles.  She  had  her  watch,  which,  if  able  to  dispose 
of  it,  might  bring  her — she  scarcely  knew  what,  but  it 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  177 

would  be  a  help,  no  doubt  ;  but  how  to  part  with  it 
without  raising  suspicion  she  did  not  know. 

While  she  was  revolving  these  things  sadly  through 
her  mind  there  was  a  knock  at  the  door,  and  at  her 
bidding  a  negro  girl,  or  woman,  entered  the  room.  As 
soon  as  she  crossed  the  threshold  Dolores  breathed 
freerer,  why  she  could  not  tell,  except  that  negroes 
had  always  befriended  her. 

"  Mas'r  sent  me  to  see  ef  de  lady  wanted  anything'' 
she  said,  with  a  respectful  courtesy. 

"  I'm  very  thirsty,"  Dolores  answered,  "  and  I 
would  like  a  glass  of  water." 

The  water  was  brought  in  a  moment,  and  the 
woman  paused  to  chirp  to  the  child  while  Dolores 
drank  it. 

"  Thanks,"  Dolores  said  as  she  finished.  "  What 
shall  I  call  you  ?" 

"  Tot,"  the  woman  answered.  "  Leastways  dat  is 
w'at  dey  calls  me  here." 

She  was  slim  and  erect,  with  a  dark  but  fine  face, 
and  her  head  was  set  off  by  a  bright  turban.  Her 
dress,  though  coarse  and  plain,  was  neatly  fashioned, 
more  so  than  that  of  the  generality  of  slaves  Dolores 
had  seen  in  the  vicinity.  But  it  1/as  not  this  alone 
which  attracted  her  attention.  The  girl's  face  was 
sad  and  there  was  something  in  it  which  puzzled 
Dolores.  It  reminded  her  of  some  one.  She  could 
not  recollect  who  at  the  moment.  She  looked  young, 
yet  womanly,  and  she  took  up  the  child  and  straight 
ened  its  dress  with  the  manner  of  one  accustomed  to 
children. 

There  was  another  knock  at  the  door  and  the 
landlord  again  entered. 

"  Wai1,  now,"  he  said,  "  you  air  in  luck,  ma'am.  As 
soon  as  I  mentioned  what  you  wanted,  a  gentleman 
what  put  up  here  last  night  tells  me  he  is  goin"  your 
road  this  arternoon  an'  expects  to  make  Ramsey  to 
night.  It'll  be  dusk,  I  reckon,  afore  he  gits  thar, 
but  p'rhaps  you  won't  mind.  He's  got  a  little  busi 
ness  to  fix  up  afore  he  starts,  an'  he  says  he'll  take  yer 


17^  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

fer  four  dollars,  bein'  its  on  his  route.  You'll  hev  to 
wait  mebbe  a  couple  o'  hours,  but  sense  you  air  de 
tained  onexpected  I'll  send  up  yer  dinner  to  yer 
room,  'low  you  this  gal  to  take  keer  o*  yer  baby  while 
you  rest,  an'  charge  ye  only  a  dollar  for  the  hull 
thing." 

Dolores  assented.  It  was  better  than  she  feared,  and 
since  she  would  not  be  obliged  to  face  those  dreadful 
beings  in  the  bar-room  by  remaining  it  was  just  as  well. 
So  she  thanked  him  and  threw  herself  upon  the  bed  to 
rest.  She  could  not  sleep,  but  it  was  a  relief  to  lie  down. 
As  she  lay  there  Tot  sat  down  in  a  rocker  and  began 
crooning  to  the  child  a  low,  monotonous  lullaby,  and 
at  the  sound  Dolores  half  rose  from  her  reclining 
position  and  watched  her  with  a  startled  look  upon 
her  face.  The  song  was  the  same  Sue  was  so  fond  of 
singing,  one  she  had  sang  to  the  infant  daily  and 
nightly  during  the  first  two  months  of  its  life.  And 
the  girl's  face — yes,  it  was  like  Sue's  own.  It  must 
be  Sue's  long-lost  daughter.  She  had  found  her  at 
last,  but  when  she  was  unable  to  aid  her  in  any  way 
— when  it  was  too  late  to  restore  her  to  her  mother. 
Yet,  after  all,  it  might  not  be  ;  she  was  nervous,  easily 
agitated,  and  yet  the  song — and  here  she  broke  out  so 
suddenly  as  to  startle  the  girl. 

"  You  told  me  you  were  called  Tot,  now.  Had  you 
ever  another  name  ?  and  did  you  once  live  in  Vir 
ginia  ?" 

It  was  now  Tot's  turn  to  become  excited. 

"  Yes,  yes  !"  she  said  quickly.  "  My  name  was 
Prudy,  and  my  mas'r  was  Mas'r  Hastings — 

"And  you  lived  at  Riverton  and  your  mother's 
name  was  Sue,"  began  Dolores,  springing  to  her 
feet,  while  Tot  rose  quickly  also,  with  the  child  in 
her  arms. 

"  My  mammy !"  she  cried,  in  a  low,  wailing  tone, 
"my  pore  ole  mammy  !  Oh,  hev  you  seen  her, ma'am, 
an'  is  she  well  ?" 

Dolores  sank  down  at  her  feet  and  caught  the  wo 
man's  gown. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  179 

"  Tot,"  she  said,  sobbing  out  her  words,  "  I  am 
Alfred  Hastings'  wife,  and  your  mother — my  dear, 
true,  loving  Sue — died  to  save  my  life  !" 

Tot  sank  upon  the  floor  beside  Dolores,  who 
clasped  her  arms  around  the  girl's  form. 

"  I  have  sought  for  you  far  and  near,"  she  said, 
"  but  I  could  never  find  you  until  too  late." 

"  Oh,  missus,"  the  girl  sobbed,  "  won't  you  please 
buy  me  an'  take  me  away  wi'  you  ?  Dis  am  de 
drefflest  place  I  eber  seen  !  De  men  am  a-gamblin\ 
an'  a-drinkin',  an'  a-carousin'  de  bressed  night  long, 
an'  I  can't  tell  yer  de  half  'o  der  wicked  doin's.  I 
don't  t'ink  my  mas'r  wants  to  sole  me,  but  he'll  do 
anythin'  fer  money." 

"  My  poor  child,"  Dolores  said,  quietly,  "  God 
knows  I  would  if  I  could  ;  but  I  am  myself  a  fugitive, 
flying  from  my  husband,  who,  when  he  tired  of  me, 
took  me  to  this  dreadful  country  and  sold  me  with 
your  mother  for  a  slave." 

"Am  de  Lord  libin',"  said  Tot,  "dat  He  'lows  such 
t'ings  ter  go  on  ?" 

"  Tot,"  said  Dolores,  "  I  promise  you  if  I  escape  to 
my  friends  I  will  send  and  buy  you,  no  matter  how 
high  a  price  your  master  sets  upon  you."  Then 
in  a  low  tone  Dolores  told  Tot  her  story,  reserving 
one  fact  only,  that  concerning  her  birth,  which 
she  did  not  wish  to  confess  publicly  yet,  as,  if  she 
escaped  and  Rick  purchased  Tot,  she  would  prefer 
her  not  to  know.  For  an  hour  they  sat  and  talked 
together,  sitting  as  far  from  the  door  as  possible  and 
speaking,  after  the  first  surprise,  in  low,  cautious  tones. 
When  dinner  was  brought  up  for  Dolores  the  two 
women  understood  each  other  as  well  in  many  respects 
as  though  they  had  lived  together  for  years.  Tot, 
lonely  and  starved  for  sympathy  and  kindness,  already 
regarded  Dolores  with  a  feeling  akin  to  idolatry,  and 
upon  her  part  Dolores  recognized  the  earnest,  stead 
fast  character  which  so  closely  resembled  that  of  Sue, 
and  as  her  heart  was  still  very  sore  and  sorrowful 
over  the  loss  of  her  faithful  friend  it  was  all  the  more 


l8o  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

ready  to  turn  to  the  daughter  of  the  woman  she 
mourned  so  earnestly. 

The  dinner  was  brought  up  by  a  negro  boy,  who 
informed  Tot  that  her  mistress  wished  to  see  her  for 
a  few  moments.  So  Tot  went  down  and  was  gone 
some  time. 

When  she  returned  Dolores  detected  a  look  of 
anxiety  upon  her  face,  which  Tot  in  vain  attempted  to 
conceal,  and  as  soon  as 'they  were  left  alone  she  ques 
tioned  her  as  to  its  cause. 

"  I'se  mos'  afeard,  honey,  dey  is  somefin'  wrong," 
she  said.  "Missis  tole  me  jes'  now  dat  I  kin  go  to 
Ramsey  in  de  kerridge  wid  yo'  an*  take  keer  o'  de 
baby,  as  de  man  dat  is  goin'  to  drive  ober  is  comin' 
back  to-morrow.  Now  I'd  be  tickled  to  deff  wid  de 
news  only  she  tole  me  ter  pack  up  all  my  tings  ter  go, 
an"  I  is  dreffle  feared  mas'r  hes  sole  me  an'  I'll  git 
whar  you  nebber  kin  find  me  if  yer  try." 

Looking  at  this  afterwards,  Dolores  wondered  why 
she  did  not  at  once  begin  to  fear  upon  her  own  ac 
count  ;  but  so  interested  was  she  in  Tot's  welfare  at 
the  time,  and  so  fearful  of  losing  sight  of  her,  she 
forgot  for  the  moment  her  own  danger.  So,  promis 
ing  to  do  all  for  Tot  in  her  power,  she  made  prepara 
tions  to  go  at  once,  as  word  was  now  sent  that  the 
carriage  would  be  ready  immediately.  She  sent  for 
the  landlord,  paid  her  bill,  he  receiving  the  amount 
with  a  bow  and  a  smile  that  was  almost  a  leer,  and 
then  tying  the  veil  over  her  face  she  went  down,  Tot 
preceding  her  with  the  baby  in  her  arms. 

The  landlord  himself  handed  her  into  the  convey 
ance,  which  proved  to  be  a  strong  wagon  without  a 
cover,  before  which  were  hitched  a  pair  of  rather 
restive  horses.  A  negro  boy  sat  in  the  driver's  place 
upon  the  front  seat  holding  the  reins.  Tot  was  placed 
in  the  back  seat  with  Dolores,  the  landlord  apologiz 
ing  for  being  obliged  to  put  her  beside  the  sefiora. 
Dolores  replied  she  preferred  to  have  the  child  be 
side  her,  whereat  the  man  bowed  and  stepped 
aside  to  make  way  for  some  one  who  now  came 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  iSl 

quickly  forward  and  sprang  hastily  into  the  seat 
with  the  driver. 

"  Let  'em  go  !"  he  said,  boisterously,  to  the  boy  who 
held  the  reins,  "an"  ef  they  don't  go  fast  enough, 
why  lick  'em  !"  And  away  they  wheeled  down  the 
road  at  a  break-neck  pace,  the  wagon  rattling  roughly 
over  the  stones. 

The  man  did  not  turn  to  speak  to  or  even  glance 
at  Dolores,  or  seem  to  be  aware  of  her  presence  in 
any  way,  yet  she  felt  she  could  not  make  the  slightest 
movement  without  his  cognizance.  She  sat  still  and 
dumb,  for  the  moment  quite  paralyzed  with  terror, 
knowing  that  all  her  struggles,  all  her  patient  toiling, 
all  her  pain  of  body  and  torture  of  mind  had  been  in 
vain. 

It  was  Ryan,  the  slave-trader,  who  had  bought  her 
and  her  child  two  weeks  before  ! 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

RYAN    IS    TENDER-HEARTED. 

There  was  now  but  one  thing  to  be  thought  of,  and 
that  was  death  for  herself  and  child.  At  first  a  wild 
idea  came  into  her  mind  to  take  her  child  in  her  arms 
and  spring  from  the  carriage.  She  might  injure  her 
self  in  this  way  so  much  that  Mr.  Ryan  would  find  it 
necessary  to  kill  her,  as  people  shot  jnaimed  horses. 
If  she  could  have  been  sure  of  certain  death  for  both, 
nothing  would  have  prevented  her  from  doing  it.  As 
it  was,  she  reached  for  the  child,  when,  divining  her 
purpose,  Ryan  turned  about  in  his  seat. 

"You're  too  tired  to  carry  that  child,  ma'am,"  he 
said. 

That  was  all,  but  she  understood.  Perhaps  even 
death  would  be  denied  her.  A  strange  thing  to  be 
courted — the  monster,  Death — but  Dolores  would 
have  welcomed  him  thankfully  in  that  desperate  hour. 

Tot,  though  fully  aware  from  the  man's  speech  and 
manner  that  something  was  wrong,  could  not  quite 


182  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

understand.  Dolores  still  wore  her  veil,  and  she  did 
not  see  the  expression  of  her  face.  However,  she 
spoke  not  a  word.  Dolores  at  length,  reaching  out  like 
a  child  in  the  dark,  sought  Tot's  hand,  and  Tot, 
clasping  hers  in  return,  was  startled  to  find  it  almost 
clammy  and  very  cold.  She  gave  it  a  warm,  stead 
fast,  encouraging  pressure,  which  sent  a  thrill  of 
warmth  and  faint  comfort  through  the  frame  of  the 
stricken  woman  beside  her. 

For  miles  they  bowled  along  in  silence,  then  they 
came  to  a  small  town.  Of  their  own  accord,  as  if 
from  frequent  habit,  the  horses  turned  up  to  the  one 
tavern,  which  swung  its  sign  over  the  wayside.  Ryan 
sprang  out. 

"  No  tricks!"  he  called.  "You'll  be  watched,  an' 
if  ye  stir  it  won't  be  well  fur  ye.  I'll  be  out  agin  in 
the  shake  of  a  lamb's  tail." 

As  soon  as  he  was  out  of  hearing,  Dolores,  her  face 
turning  neither  to  the  right  or  left,  said  in  a  low  tone  : 

"  He  is  the  man  who  bought  me  of  my  husband." 

Tot  could  scarcely  repress  a  sudden  start. 

"  Take  de  baby  as  soon  as  yer  kin,"  she  said  in  the 
same  tone  and  looking  straight  before  her.  "  When  I 
jump  out  you  foller  me.  He's  bought  me,  top.  We 
must  go  at  de  fust  woods  or  he  may  handcuff  us. 
Josh,"  to  the  boy  in  front,  "don't  look  dis  way,  but 
when  we  come  to  de  fust  woods  slack  up  a  little, 
'specially  ef  I  gib  yer  de  wink." 

She  was  looking  at  the  baby  now,  and  when  Ryan 
came  out  she  was  talking  to  it  in  a  low  tone  and  call 
ing  it  a  "  pore  little  chillen,"  and  it  was  trying  to 
answer  her  in  baby  fashion. 

"  It's  a  peart  little  minx,"  said  Ryan  to  Tot,  who 
answered  in  a  seemingly  cheerful  tone. 

"  Dat  she  is,  Mas'r." 

"An"  you'm  a  likely  gal,"  he  said,  addressing  her, 
completely  thrown  off  his  guard  by  her  manner. 

"  What  was  they  a-talkin'  about  while  I  was  in  the 
tavern,  Josh  ?"  he  asked  the  driver  as  he  sprang  in  the 
carriage. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  183 

"  Wai,  Tot  dah  war  a-talkin'  trash  to  de  chile,  but 
de  missis  kep'  'er  mouf  shet  ;  leastways,  as  far  as  I 
seen." 

Ryan  wiped  his  mouth  and  scratched  a  match  upon 
his  boot-heel  to  light  his  cigar,  and  away  they  drove 
once  more.  For  some  time  all  was  quiet,  but  at 
length,  either  of  her  own  accord  or  because  her  nurse 
seemed  suddenly  to  have  lost  all  her  former  skill,  little 
Rose  began  to  cry.  Then  Tot  spoke  : 

"  Guess  de  chillen  want  her  mammy,  Mas'r,"  she 
said. 

"  You're  gettin'  tired,  you  lazy  thing,"  he  said, 
crossly.  "  Wai,  give  her  to  her  mammy  for  all  I  care  !" 

So  Tot  passed  the  child  to  Dolores,  after  which  she 
yawned  and  settled  the  skirt  of  her  gown.  In  a  few 
moments  the  child  was  asleep,  and,  drawing  her 
shawl  about  the  little  one,  Dolores  braced  her  nerves 
and  sat  ready  for  a  spring,  as  they  were  nearing  a 
wood.  She  sat  directly  back  of  the  driver,  Tot  being 
behind  Ryan,  and  glancing  toward  the  girl  she 
fancied  she  saw  a  look  of  desperation  cross  her  face. 
In  another  moment  Tot  bent  to  kiss  the  child. 

"Jump  forward,"  she  said  in  a  low  tone,  and  as  she 
spoke  Dolores  leaped  like  a  deer  from  the  carriage. 
Whether  Josh  had  heard  the  words  or  not  they  did 
not  know,  but  they  were  going  up  an  inclined  plane, 
and  the  horses  had  almost  dropped  into  a  walk.  She 
struck  upon  the  bank,  which  was  carpeted  with  loose 
turf,  uninjured,  and  gaining  her  feet  instantly  sprang 
into  the  forest,  but  not  before  Ryan  had  reached  for 
his  revolver.  His  fingers  were  upon  the  handle,  but 
they  did  not  grasp  it.  There  was  a  loud  report  of  a 
revolver  almost  in  his  very  ear,  and  his  hand  dropped, 
while  he  fell  forward  uttering  an  oath.  Tot,  who  had 
possessed  herself  of  Dolores'  bundle,  sprang  after  her 
and  they  were  soon  lost  in  the  wood,  while  the  horses, 
frightened  at  the  report  of  a  pistol,  dashed  madly  away 
unrestrained.  Josh  was  too  much  taken  by  surprise  to 
attempt  to  stop  them,  and  before  he  gathered  his 
wits  together  they  were  past  all  control. 


184  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

Indeed,  when  he  came  to  consider  the  matter  he 
thought  it  was  best  to  let  them  go,  and  accordingly  he 
did  so,  only  being  careful  to  keep  his  seat  and  hang  to 
the  reins.  Whether  Ryan  was  dead  or  not  he  could 
not  tell.  If  dead,  there  was  no  hurry  to  reach  any 
town.  It  would  be  better  for  the  girls  if  the  horses 
were  to  throw  him  out  and  stun  him,  then  they  would 
rush  on  to  the  next  village  covered  with  foam,  while 
he,  after  remaining  senseless  for  some  time,  had  better 
attempt  to  hobble  home — a  good  walk,  for  they  were 
now  at  least  fifteen  miles  from  Hillside.  But  Ryan 
was  not  his  master,  and  he  had  better  get  home 
safely — but  the  horses  ! 

The  poor  boy  scratched  his  wool  in  perplexity,  the 
first  opportunity  since  the  horses  started,  for  they 
were  now  calming  down  a  trifle.  If  he  went  home 
without  those  horses  it  would  be  all  his  life  was 
worth.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  Ryan  was  not  fatally 
injured — well,  he  shuddered  to  think  what  would 
happen.  And  just  then  Ryan  moved  and  uttered  an 
oath. 

"  You  fool  !"  he  cried,  "  why  don't  you  stop  your 
horses  and  not  jolt  a  feller's  life  out  after  he's  killed 
already  ?" 

"  W'y,  Mas'r,  I  'clar  to  marcy  dese  air  hosses  hes 
been  a-runnin*  fer  dear  life,  an"  it  hes  been  all  I  could 
anyways  do  to  keep  'em  in  de  road.  Mas'r  kin  see 
fer  hisself  dey  is  jes'  frothin'  all  ober.  An'  I  reckon 
ef  I  hadn't  jes'  stuck  by  'em  Mas'r's  neck'd  a  been 
broke,  suah." 

By  this  time  Josh  had  stopped  the  horses  and  was 
assisting  Ryan  to  rise.  There  was  an  ugly  wound 
in  his  right  shoulder,  from  which  the  blood  freely 
flowed,  and  he  was  really  quite  faint  from  its  loss. 

"  I  can't  sit  up,"  he  said  at  last.  "  Where  in  thun 
der  air  we,  Josh  ?" 

"  I  reckon  we'm  most  to  Ramsey,  Mas'r,"  said  Josh, 
innocently. 

"You  black  devil !  You  know  thet's  a  lie  !  Jest 
wait  till  I  send  your  master  word " 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  185 

Here  a  twinge  of  pain  caused  him  to  stop  short. 

"You'll  be  hung,  drawed  and  quartered  !"  he  went 
on  as  soon  as  he  caught  his  breath.  "  Here  !  Take 
out  the  back  seat  and  fix  the  cushings  so  I  kin  lay 
down.  Why,  bless  my  stars,  them  hosses  must  a-gone 
like  thunder.  We  air  putty  nigh  on  ter  Ramsey. 
Look  here.  Josh — ou  !  you  black  nigger,  ef  I  was 
well  I'd  knock  yer  down  !" 

"  Ef  Mas'r  was  well  den  I  wouldn't  be  a-layin"  'im 
down  in  dis  'ere  waggin,"  said  Josh  in  a  conciliating 
tone,  feeling  very  uneasy  about  the  final  issue  (as  well 
he  might  be),  and  knowing  that  his  only  chance  was 
to  conciliate,  as  far  as  possible,  the  man  in  whose 
power  he  was.  If  Ryan  sent  an  unfavorable  report 
back  to  his  master  he  knew  the  consequences  would 
be  terrible  to  him,  and  therefore  he  laid  the  man  down 
as  tenderly  as  possible,  receiving  a  kick  in  his  face 
for  his  pains  as  he  stooped  to  gather  up  the  lines. 

The  blood  gushed  from  his  mouth  and  nose,  for 
Ryan's  boot  was  heavy,  and  the  kick  was  given  with  all 
the  force  of  passionate  rage  which  possessed  the  man. 
For  a  moment  the  boy  felt  like  turning  upon  the  brute 
and  killing  him  at  any  cost,  but  remembering  it  would 
be  sure  death  to  him,  if  not  torture — and  both  were 
most  probable — he  wiped  the  blood  away  in  silence, 
and  taking  the  reins  stood  waiting  for  orders  without 
a  word.  This  attitude,  instead  of  appeasing  Ryan's 
wrath,  only  added  to  it,  and,  only  that  the  pain  from 
his  wound  was  very  great,  he  would  have  risen  and 
repeated  the  performance. 

"  Why  the  h — 1  don't  yer  drive  on  ?"  he  cried  at 
length.  "  Do  yer  mean  ter  keep  me  hyer  till  I  bleed 
ter  death  ?" 

"  Which  way  shell  I  go,  Mas'r  ?"  asked  Josh, 
quietly. 

"  Foller  yer  bloody  nose  !"  yelled  Ryan. 

"Shell  I  drive  fast  or  slow  ?"  asked  Josh,  still  in  a 
respectful  tone. 

"  Drive  like  the  old  boy  was  after  ye  !"  Here 
followed  another  volley  of  oaths,  and  Josh  draw- 


186  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

ing  up  the  reins,  the  horses  set  off,  though  now 
inclined  to  move  at  a  moderate  pace. 

Ryan's  tongue  was  scarcely  silent  a  moment  during 
the  remainder  of  the  drive.  They  neared  a  small 
village,  but  he  ordered  Josh  not  to  stop  as  he  knew 
there  was  no  physician  it,  and  he  began  to  fear  his 
wound  might  prove  serious.  Still  he  kept  up  a  con 
stant  fire  of  profanity  from  his  blasphemous  tongue, 
said  the  fugitives  should  not  escape  him,  that  he  would 
sell  Dolores  to  the  worst  fiend  he  could  find,  and  Tot 
should  be  burned  alive.  And  poor  Josh  listened 
wearily,  wishing  himself  safely  at  home,  though  it  was- 
far  from  being  a  pleasant  one. 

Ryan  had  waited  for  some  days  in  Nashville  hoping 
to  hear  from  A  If  red,  for  he  had  taken  a  fancy  to  Dolores, 
and  instead  of  selling  her,  as  he  declared  to  be  his  in 
tention,  he  decided  that,  since  he  had  always  lived  a 
hard  life  and  enjoyed  little  of  the  luxuries  of  the 
world,  he  would  treat  himself  at  last  and  appropriate 
Dolores  to  himself.  Her  child  he  intended  to  sell  as- 
soon  as  it  was  old  enough  to  "scratch  fer  itself,"  as 
he  termed  it.  He  attended  to  the  business  he  had  in 
Nashville,  and  then,  consulting  a  map  and  taking 
into  consideration  the  probabilities,  he  decided  in 
favor  of  her  having  "made  a  bee  line"  for  the  south 
west. 

Accordingly  he  went  to  Hillside,  scouring  the 
neighborhood  round  for  two  or  three  days,  and,  just 
as  he  began  to  fear  Dolores  had  escaped  him,  she 
walked  inadvertently  into  the  very  hotel  where  he  was 
staying.  She  had  only  counted  upon  Alfred's  follow 
ing  her,  and  her  plan  of  speaking  broken  English 
would  probably  have  served  her  admirably,  only  that 
Ryan  was  used  to  tracking  runaways,  and  it  seemed 
as  if  the  hand  of  fate  was  against  her. 

Now,  as  he  lay  helpless  but  full  of  wrath  upon  the 
floor  of  the  wagon,  he  decided  to  pursue  a  different 
course  with  Dolores  altogether.  He  would  not  be 
annoyed  with  her,  and  he  argued,  seeing  the  revolver 
could  so  easily  be  used  against  him,  that  she  might 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  187 

take  it  into  her  head  to  put  an  end  to  him  some  day  ; 
he  could  not  trust  her. 

There  lived  at  Ramsey  a  rich  but  rough  planter, 
who  had  lost  his  wife  within  a  year.  Having  met 
Ryan  he  told  him  he  had  seen  enough  of  married  life, 
and,  as  he  had  two  children,  all  .he  cared  about  to 
heir  his  property,  he  was  on  the  lookout  for  some 
likely  mulatto  girl,  and  would  pay  a  good  price  for 
one  that  suited  him.  Now  he  could  not  claim  that 
Dolores  was  a  mulatto,  but  he  knew  that  her  appear 
ance  of  being  altogether  white  would  be  no  objection 
in  the  eyes  of  this  man,  who  was  at  heart  nearly  as 
brutal  as  himself,  though  he  was  eminently  respect 
able  as  respect  went  in  that  section  of  the  country. 

The  planter's  name  was  Moultrie,  and,  as  he  was  a 
hard  master,  Ryan  was  positive  he  kept  bloodhounds. 
To  this  man  he  would  go  and  state  his  case  (except 
telling  him  the  purchase  money  for  Dolores  had  not 
been  paid  over)  and  get  him  to  scour  the  country. 
If  he  himself  were  not  able  to  join  in  the  hunt  he 
would  offer  Dolores  at  what  he  should  term  less  than 
half  price — five  hundred  dollars.  He  must  offer  some 
inducement  in  order  to  enlist  the  interest  of  Mr. 
Moultrie,  and,  as  the  money  would  be  clear  again,  he 
might  better  do  that  than  lose  her  altogether.  He 
did  not  fear  that  Alfred  would  ever  come  to  dispute 
his  claim,  for  he  strongly  suspected  him  of  being  a 
scoundrel  of  some  sort,  though  even  he  did  not 
dream  of  the  depth  of  his  villainy.  Not  that  it  would 
have  changed  his  course  a  particle  had  he  known  the 
whole  story,  for  he  would  still  have  considered 
Dolores  as  legitimate  game. 

It  was  after  dark  when  they  reached  Ramsey.  Josh 
was  ordered  to  drive  to  the  hotel  and  then  for  a  phy 
sician  as  soon  as  possible.  The  physician  came  and 
pronounced  the  wound  serious,  but  not  dangerous, 
provided  the  patient  was  kept  perfectly  quiet.  This 
was  unwelcome  news,  and  Ryan  did  not  in  the  least 
relish  it.  Josh,  having  brought  the  physician  and 
fearing  the  wrath  of  Ryan  might  again  descend  upon 


l88  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

his  head,  suggested  to  that  worthy  that,  as  he  sup 
posed  he-  didn't  care  to  pay  for  "  them  hosses,"  he  had 
better  go  out  and  look  after  them  a  little. 

So  Josh  rubbed  them  down  well,  telling  them  a 
portion  of  his  troubles,  and  the  intelligent  beasts 
neighed  in  answer,,  as  if  to  express  their  sympathy. 
Fortunately  for  Josh  the  race  that  afternoon  had  not 
injured  them,  and  he  felt  thankful  that  he  was  allowed 
to  set  out  for  Hillside  the  next  morning  with  a  fair 
prospect  of  reaching  it  safe  and  sound.  He  knew  his 
master  had  received  a  good  price  for  Tot,  and  hoped 
he  would  be  in  a  comparatively  good  humor. 

As  for  Ryan  he  was  forbidden  to  transact  any  busi 
ness  whatever  that  evening,  so  he  satisfied  himself  by 
sending  an  urgent  message  to  Mr.  Moultrie,  who  re 
turned  word  that  he  would  call  in  the  morning.  After 
all,  Ryan  calculated  that  five  hundred  dollars  would 
scarcely  pay  him  for  the  trouble  he  had  taken,  and 
was  a  small  compensation  for  the  time  he  must  lie  up 
and  nurse  his  shoulder.  Still  he  would  probably  make 
a  hundred  or  two  clean  cash  upon  Tot,  and  that  would 
help  matters  a  little. 

Mr.  Moultrie  came  at  the  appointed  hour  in  the 
morning  and  found  Ryan  sick  and  sore,  having  passed 
a  bad  night.  He  was  not  what  was  usually  called  a 
hard  drinker,  though  he  was  in  the  habit  of  indulging 
in  intoxicating  drinks  every  day  of  his  life.  Owing 
to  this,  and  the  passion  he  did  not  curb  after  he 
received  the  wound,  his  shoulder  seemed  greatly 
inflamed,  and  he  could  not  move  his  arm  without 
great  pain.  To  his  disappointment  Mr.  Moultrie  did 
not  seem  to  enter  into  the  idea  of  hunting  up  slaves 
for  another  man  ;  it  was  beneath  his  dignity,  especi 
ally  as  he  was  offered  compensation  for  it. 

"  Why  don't  you  give  the  matter  into  the  hands  of 
the  authorities  ?"  he  asked.  "  I'll  warrant  they'll  find 
your  niggers  for  you  in  a  short  while." 

"  And  lose  my  niggers  ?"  answered  Ryan.  "  No,  I 
don't  hold  no  hard  feelin's  toward  the  gal  as  shot  me  ; 
it  shows  her  pluck,  and  it  shows  how  shaller  they  was 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  189 

at  the  tavern  to  put  shootin'-irons  where  she  could  git 
hold  on  'em.  She's  a  young,  likely  gal,  an'  t'other 
one  is  the  biggest  beauty  I  ever  sot  eyes  on.  She  kin 
play  the  pianer,  talk  Spanish,  an"  looks  like  a  lady. 
Her  young  one  is  a  right  smart  little  cuss,  a  gal  three 
er  four  months  old.  She's  walked  nigh  on  to  a  hun- 
derd  miles  a-carryin'  it  in  her  arms,  but  she  got  a  lift 
an'  drove  up  to  the  tavern  in  Hillside  yesterday  as 
brave  as  you  please." 

Mr.  Moultrie  started  a  trifle. 

"What  kind  of  a  looking  girl  is  she  ?"  he  said. 

"  Big  dark  eyes,  black  hair,  white  teeth,  an'  looks 
like  an  American  with  about  half  Spanish  blood  in  her." 

"  How  is  she  dressed  ?"  asked  Mr.  Moultrie. 

"All  in  black,  'cept  a  little  red  facin'  er  trimmin', 
er  somethin"  on  her  dress,"  replied  Ryan,  wondering- 
what  Mr.  Moultrie  was  driving  at. 

"Strange,"  said  Mr.  Moultrie,  "but  I  saw  such  a 
woman  sitting  by  the  roadside  with  her  child  only 
the  night  before  last,  as  I  was  on  my  way  home  from 
the  mills.  But  that  was  thirty  or  forty  miles  from  here." 

"  Its  the  same  one,"  said  Ryan,  eagerly.  "  Now, 
don't  you  think  she's  wurth  lookin'  arter  ?" 

"  Yes,"  said  Mr.  Moultrie  slowly,  not  wishing  to  be 
tray  his  eagerness.  "  All  right,  Ryan,  I'll  undertake 
to  find  her  and  the  girl  that's  with  her.  If  I  return 
the  other  one  safe  and  sound  I'm  to  have  this  one 
and  her  child  for  five  hundred  dollars." 

"  Exactly.  But  don't  let  the  grass  grow  under  yer 
feet  afore  ye  start." 

"  I'll  attend  to  all  that.  You  say  they  will  likely  go 
in  a  south-west  direction  ?" 

"  Yes,  that's  my  idee.  Good  morning,  'Squire,  an' 
take  keer  an'  not  hurt  my  nigger.  I  don't  hold  no< 
grudge  agin  her,  and  I  shan't  punish  her  furder'n  to 
hev  her  stripped  an'  licked  as  much  as  she  kin  stan' 
'thout  layin'  her  up.  Yer  don't  ketch  me  a-lickin'  my 
niggers  to  death  like  some  fellers  I've  hearn  tell  on. 
I  knows  too  well  what  they  is  wuth  for  that,  and 
b'sides  I  allus  was  rather  tender-hearted." 


190  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

AT    LAST. 

When  Dolores  and  Tot  made  their  escape  from  the 
wagon  they  ran  for  some  miles  without  thinking  of 
what  direction  they  were  taking.  Then  it  suddenly 
occurred  to  Dolores  that  she  was  not  making  any 
progress  toward  Idlefield,  but,  on  the  contrary,  was 
going  due  north.  At  first  she  was  distressed  to  think 
she  had  gone  out  of  the  way,  but  when  she  came  to 
consider  a  moment  she  reflected  that  it  had  been 
greatly  to  her  advantage  and  had  probably  already 
saved  her  from  being  recaptured.  Ryan  would  expect 
her  to  go  south-west,  and,  as  she  did  not  dream  of  his 
being  too  seriously  hurt  to  follow  them,  he  had  no 
doubt  already  started  on  in  that  direction  and  was 
quietly  waiting  until,  weary  and  worn,  in  two  or  three 
days'  time  they  should  walk  directly  into  his  clutches 
again.  She  changed  her  course  from  a  northerly 
direction  and  set  her  face  toward  the  west.  She 
knew  it  would  lengthen  the  distance  at  least  one-third 
and  give  her  nearly  as  many  miles  to  travel  as  she 
had  expected  in  the  beginning.  She  might  die  along 
the  dreary  wayside  and  never  reach  the  haven  she 
soughs,  but  she  had  no  other  chance  of  reaching  it 
than  to  go  a  roundabout  course. 

It  was  a  great  comfort  to  her  to  have  Tot  with  her, 
Tot,  who  was  Sue's  own  child  for  faithful  courage, 
with  a  tinge  of  rashness  besides,  but  which  might 
well  answer  her  purpose  in  the  present  dire  extremity. 
They  were  already  a  little  to  the  north  and  a  few 
miles  directly  west  would  place  them  in  a  quarter  no 
one  would  expect. 

Probably  they  would  be  advertised  now,  and  their 
only  course  was  to  sleep  in  the  day  and  travel  at 
night.  Just  before  the  darkness  closed  in  they  paused 
to  partake  of  some  food  and  then  they  pressed  on. 
Soon  after  they  came  to  a  public  road,  and,  as  it  was 
easier,  they  took  this,  as  it  ran  in  a  westerly  direction. 
With  only  one  pause  they  went  on  until  daylight,  and 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  I  pi" 

then  they  turned  to  the  north  and  went  into  a  wood 
and  laid  down.  Being  nearly  exhausted  both  were 
soon  sleeping  soundly,  the  babe  keeping  them  com 
pany,  for  it  was  growing  so  weary  of  being  constantly 
carried  it  seemed  glad  to  lie  down  quietly  and  rest. 

It  was  almost  night  before  they  rose,  and  then  they 
took  some  more  food,  feeling  hungry  in  spite  of  their 
anxiety  of  mind,  and  regretting  that  their  stock  of 
edibles  were  so  rapidly  diminishing.  Their  hunger 
scarcely  appeased  they  carefully  put  away  what  re 
mained,  and  then  Tot  set  out  to  see  if-  she  could  find 
some  berries  for  dessert.  She  was  gone  some  time 
and  when  she  returned  she  had  a  large  quantity,  and 
she  asked  Dolores  eagerly  if  she  had  a  drinking-cup. 
She  had  a  small  one  which  Jane  had  given  her,  and 
also  a  flask  for  water  or  tea.  Tot  took  them  and  soon 
returned,  both  filled  with  foaming  milk. 

"  I  seen  a  cow,"  she  said,  "  an'  I  jes'  help  myself  to 
a  little  milk,  cos  I  knowed,  honey,  it  would  be  nourishin' 
like  to  yo'  an'  de  baby.  Drink  all  you  kin,  an'  w'ile 
you  is  a-feedin'  her  outen  de  cup  I'se  gwine  back  ter 
fill  de  bottle." 

"You  are  worth  your  weight  in  gold,  Tot,"  said 
Dolores.  "This  is  the  very  thing  we  need  and  it  will 
help  us  all  wonderfully." 

They  lingered  until  nearly  dusk,  and  were  about 
preparing  for  their  night's  journey  when  they  were 
startled  by  the  sharp  baying  of  a  dog. 

"  Hark  !"  said  Dolores,  wondering  what  the  sound 
was,  while  Tot  sprang  to  her  feet  trembling  with  ex 
citement  and  fear. 

"  We  is  gone  !"  she  cried,  "  onless  de  bressed  Lord 
Hisself  takes  keer  on  us,  honey,  fer  dat  is  a  blood 
hound,  suah  yer  bawn  !" 

A  deadly  faintness  came  over  Dolores. 

"If  he  would  only  kill  me!"  she  said,  "but  to 
be  mangled  and  then  tortured.  Tot,  give  me  the  re 
volver,  quick  !" 

"  Now  look  heah,  honey,  w'at  is  you  gwine  to  do  ?" 
said  Tot  soothingly. 


192  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

"  Tot,  I  beg  you  to  shoot  me  where  I  stand — shoot 
both  me  and  my  child,  and  perhaps  you  may  escape. 
Do  as  I  bid  you,  dear,  good  Tot,  I  implore  you  !" 
cried  Dolores,  frantically. 

"  Listen,  honey,"  said  Tot.  "  Ef  dah  ain't  but  one 
dog  we  is  safe.  1'se  got  foah  moah  balls  in  dis  heah 
revolvah,  'sides  de  one  I  shot  off  yisterday.  An'  look, 
dar  goes  a  catridge  in  dat  one,  an*  plenty  moah  in  de 
box.  Now  you  jes'  git  'hind  me  in  de  bushes  right 
cluss  by  an'  I'll  'stonish  dat  ar  dog,  an'  de  man  as  is 
a  settin'  'im  on  !" 

Tot's  determined  words  and  manner  reassured 
Dolores  in  a  certain  degree,  and  she  did  as  she  was 
bidden.  A  moment  later  the  dog's  cry  came  nearer, 
they  could  hear  his  very  panting  as  he  rushed  along, 
and  then  in  another  he  was  upon  them.  Straight  as 
an  arrow  he  came,  and  as  soon  as  he  was  in  sight  Tot 
tired. 

An  infuriated  yell  told  her  the  shot  had  taken  effect, 
.but  it  did  not  stay  the  attack.  On  he  rushed  with 
greater  fury  than  before.  In  rapid  succession  Tot 
fired  three  times,  and  then  she  paused,  fearing  to  spend 
the  last  shot  without  more  careful  aim.  The  beast 
sprang  for  her  throat,  but  drawing  back  a  trifle  she 
pressed  the  muzzle  of  the  revolver  to  his  breast  and 
fired  again. 

He  fell  writhing  at  her  feet,  her  only  wound  being 
where,  in  falling,  he  buried  one  of  his  tusks  in  her 
arm.  Seeing  that  he  was  past  harming  any  one  Tot 
turned  aside  and  quickly  loaded  her  revolver  again. 
Then  she  went  and  bathed  her  arm  in  the  stream 
which  flowed  near,  and  pouring  a  little  milk  upon  the 
wound  she  bound  it  up  slightly  and  then  spoke  : 

"  We'd  bettah  git  outen  dis  yer  place,  honey,"  she 
said.  "  Dis  dog  had  a  chain  onter  him  an'  he's  broke 
it  an'  got  away  from  dem  as  was  a-leadin'  'im.  Mebbe 
dey  is  moah  a-comin'  an1  mebbe  dey  ain't.  Anyhow, 
we'd  bettah  go." 

Dolores,  nothing  loth,  rose,  and  they  fled  as  fast  as 
possible,  any  way  to  make  the  distance  greater  behind 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  193 

them.  Over  stiles  and  rocks  and  ridges,  through 
thicket,  briar  and  brake,  Tot  catching  the  baby  from 
its  mother's  arms  at  last  when  she  saw  Dolores  looked 
ready  to  fall,  and  with  words  of  encouragement  urg 
ing  her  on. 

"  Dey  shan't  take  us  alive,  honey,"  she  said,  solemnly. 
"  I'se  gwine  ter  keep  catridges  'nuff  ter  load  up  de 
revolvah  de  las'  time,  an'  ef  de  wust  comes  dey  is  two 
fer  yo',  an'  two  fer  me,  an'  one  fer  de  pore  little  chillen. 
Dey  shan't  take  us  ter  kill  by  inches,  an'  de  bressed 
Lo'd'll  fo'give  me,  case  he  knows  jes'  how  hard  pushed 
we  is.'' 

Dolores  looked  into  her  face,  and,  believing,  took 
fresh  strength  and  hurried  on.  Again  they  reached 
the  highway  and  were  tempted  to  take  it,  though  it 
was  moonlight  now,  and  the  moon  would  not  set  until 
long  after  midnight.  Suddenly  they  heard  a  sound 
and  drew  into  the  shadow  as  they  listened.  There 
was  a  horse,  the  sound  of  a  carriage,  and  above  both 
a  clear,  masculine  negro  voice  singing : 

"  My  gal,  my  gal,  I'se  gwine  for  to  see, 

An'  I'm  gwine  to  meet  her  soon  ; 
I'se  gwine  to  meet  my  Chloe  dear 
By  de  light  ob  de  silvah  moon." 

By  this  time  the  singer  was  so  near  they  could  see 
it  was  a  negro  boy  seated  in  a  rather  long,  narrow 
wagon  with  one  seat,  which  seemed  almost  upon  the 
horse's  back.  He  was  alone,  and  as  soon  as  she  was 
sure  of  this,  to  the  great  terror  of  Dolores,  Tot  rushed 
out  and  hailed  him. 

"Can't  you  gib  two  pore  gals  a  lift?"  she  said. 
"We  is  mos'  done  out  an'  we's  gat  to  trabble  all 
night." 

"  Go  'way  now  !"  he  exclaimed,  but  reining  up  his 
horse.  "  None  o'  yer  foolin*.  I  is  gwine  fer  de  doc- 
tah  to  bring  'im  back  in  dis  'dentical  waggin,  cos 
missis  is  clean  done  gone  wid  de  'sterics,  an'  ef  I  don't 
fetch  'im  quicker'n  lightnin'  it'll  be  de  wuss  fer  me." 

"  Now  look  heah,  Sambo,  does  yer  want  ter  make  a 
qua'tah  ob  a  dollah  ter  night  ?" 


194  SUDDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

"  Sa'tain  I  does,  Dinah.  Hes  you  got  de  a'ticle 
you  is  speakin'  of  handy  ?" 

"  'Deed  I  has,  an'  ef  yo'  wants  it,  den  yo'  take  us 
as  fah  as  yo'  is  gwine,  axin'  no  questions,  an'  you'll 
git  it,  no  mistake." 

"  Climb  in  !"  briefly  remarked  the  boy,  and  without 
a  reply  Tot  assisted  Dolores  and  the  child  in  first 
and  then  followed,  both  lying  down  in  the  bottom  of 
the  vehicle  with  their  feet  under  the  front  seat. 

Sambo  (as  Tot  called  him)  picked  up  the  reins, 
chirped  to  his  horse  and  began  his  song  once  more, 
pausing  now  and  again  to  urge  the  horse  onward. 

"  What  is  the  name  of  the  town  to  which  you  are 
going  ?"  asked  Dolores  at  last. 

"  Titusdale,"  he  said. 

"  Is  it  far  from  Ramsey  ?" 

"  Dunno — guess  so.  Nebber  heard  o'  dat  place, 
missus." 

"  When  you  get  to  Titusdale,"  she  said,  "will  you 
drive  us  just  out  of  sight  of  the  town  before  you  set 
us  down  ?" 

"  Sa'tain,  missus,  ef  you  wants  me  to." 

"  I  do,  indeed.  Then  I  will  give  you  the  quarter 
and  thank  you  besides.  How  far  is  Titusdale  from 
where  you  took  us  in?" 

"  Dunno,  missus  ;  it's  'leben  miles  from  massa's, 
an'  I  tuck  yo'  up  jes'  dis  side  o'  dar.' 

"  I  hope  your  mistress  will  recover,"  she  said,  "  but 
I  cannot  help  feeling  glad  the  doctor  lives  so  far 
away.  Don't  tell  any  one  about  your  giving  us  a  ride 
to-night,  or  speak  of  us  at  all,  please." 

"  Nebbah  you  feah  my  tellin'.  I'd  only  git  licked  if 
I  did,"  with  a  grin.  "We  is  clus  by  de  town  now, 
missus." 

Lying  close  and  still  they  passed  through  the  place, 
and  when  they  had  gone  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
further,  and  turned  a  sharp  curve  in  the  road,  the  boy 
stopped,  and,  giving  him  his  well-earned  quarter, 
Dolores  and  Tot  crept  out  of  the  wagon,  feeling  stiff 
and  sore.  Thanking  him  heartily  they  went  on, 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  195 

walking  as  briskly  as  possible,  and,  with  one  or  two 
short  pauses  for  rest,  the  night  was  passed  upon  their 
feet. 

There  was  little  woodland  in  this  region.  It  was 
chiefly  cleared  and  laid  out  in  large  plantations.  So, 
when  daylight  came,  they  went  on  until  they  reached 
the  nearest  wood  and  sought  its  shelter,  Tot  very 
weary  and  Dolores  more  dead  than  alive. 

Little  Rose,  too,  seemed  to  droop.  She  was  feverish 
and  slept  heavily,  and  appeared  to  have  no  appetite. 
Tot  went  to  look  for  a  stream  or  spring  of  water,  but 
could  find  none. 

"  Gimme  de  flask  an'  cup,"  she  said.  "  De  milk 
am  sour,  but  it  am  good  'nun0  fer  me.  I'se  gwine  ter 
find  a  cow  ef  I  hunt  twell  night.  Dey  is  some  roun* 
heah,  I  knows.  I  won't  drink  de  sour  milk  twell  I  is 
suah  of  sweet,  an'  den  I  kin  rinse  out  de  flask  with 
wa'm  milk  an'  drink  dat  afoah  I  fill  it  fer  you." 

Dolores  was  too  faint  to  utter  a  protest.  She  did 
not  rely  upon  her  own  strength  and  courage  now,  but 
upon  Tot  altogether.  She  had  all  the  faith  in  Tot  a 
'sick  child  has  in  the  mother  who  cares  for  it  ten 
derly.  She  was  not  surprised  when  Tot  returned 
with  the  milk.  She  drank  of  it  and  fed  the  babe,  and 
then,  refusing  to  eat,  crept  into  a  thicket  to  lie  down. 
Tot  ate  a  small  portion  of  the  food  for  her  breakfast, 
packed  everything  up  securely  in  case  of  a  surprise, 
and  then  she  too  lay  down  and  was  soon  sleeping 
soundly.  Dolores  could  not  sleep.  Head,  body  and 
limbs  were  aching.  She  seemed  to  have  a  thousand 
nerves  and  all  were  throbbing,  and  so  the  long  day 
passed. 

Toward  evening  Tot  awoke,  and  again  went  for 
aging.  This  time,  however,  she  found  neither  milk 
nor  water.  Dolores  still  refused  to  eat.  .While  they 
were  considering  whether  it  would  be  safe  to  go  on 
they  heard  voices,  and  gathering  up  their  things  they 
hurried  behind  a  rock.  Tot,  peeping  out,  saw  what 
seemed  to  be  a  governess  with  two  children.  She 
had  a  book  of  maps  in  her  hand,  and  seemed  to  be 


196  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

teaching  them  geography,  at  length  sitting  down  upon 
the  very  spot  they  had  just  vacated. 

"If  I  only  had  those  maps,"  said  Dolores  eagerly, 
as  she  too  glanced  out. 

"  I  couldn't  make  head  nor  tail  outen  "em,"  said 
Tot,  "  but  ef  you  kin  you  shall  hab  "em."  Without 
pausing  to  consider  the  consequence  she  began  mak 
ing  the  most  unearthly  howls,  like  some  wild  beast, 
something,  as  Dolores  told  her  afterward,  that  must 
have  been  between  that  of  a  wild  cat  and  a  screech  owl. 

The  effect  upon  her  audience  was  instantaneous. 
The  governess  rose  in  hot  haste,  dropped  her  atlas, 
and  taking  each  child  by  the  hand  fled  toward  a  house, 
which  was  situated  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away,  the 
howling  never  ceasing  till  little  Rose  woke  and  began 
to  cry  with  fright.  Then  Tot  ran  and  picked  up  the 
atlas,  which  Dolores  seized  eagerly,  for  once  forget 
ting  that  the  cries  of  her  child  might  betray  them. 
Tot,  however,  hushed  little  Rose,  and  Dolores,  con 
sulting  the  map,  soon  found  to  her  delight  that  they 
were  in  Mississippi.  She  became  at  once  absorbed  in 
planning  her  route,  and  was  only  aroused  by  Tot,  who 
informed  her  that  they  must  leave  the  spot,  as,  no 
doubt,  there  would  some  one  be  sent  to  hunt  the  wild 
animal. 

"  Dey'll  be  comin'  a'ter  dat  har,"  she  said,  "an'  we 
mus'  hurry  off." 

Securing  the  map  of  the  State,  which  was  all  she 
cared  for,  Dolores  laid  the  atlas  where  it  was  first 
dropped  and  followed  Tot,  who  carried  the  child. 
She  decided  to  go  due  west,  and  when  they  reached 
a  town  which  was  fifty  miles  north  of  Milton  to  turn 
south.  They  kept  in  the  wood  until  they  came  to 
its  end,  but  found  no  water,  though  there  were  a  few 
berries,  which  they  ate  ;  and  Tot  was  induced  to  eat 
a  small  supper,  though  the  food  was  nearly  gone. 
When  it  was  dark  they  went  on  and  toward  morning 
they  came  to  a  piece  of  woodland,  where  Dolores 
sank  down,  unable  to  go  farther.  Here,  to  Tot's  joy, 
she  found  a  pure  spring  of  water,  of  which  they  all 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN"    NOBILITY.  197 

drank,  Dolores  declaring  she  must  have  died  of  thirst 
without  it,  for  it  was  now  thirty-six  hours  since  she 
had  tasted  water  and  nearly  twenty-four  since  drink 
of  any  kind  had  passed  her  lips. 

"  Let  us  stay  here  and  die,"  she  said  ;  but  Tot 
cheered  her,  bathed  her  feet  and  made  her  a  bed  of 
leaves,  forcing  her  to  eat  a  portion  of  the  food  left, 
while  she  devoured  the  remainder.  Devoured,  for 
poor  Tot  was  suffering  from  the  pangs  of  hunger. 
She  went  out  foraging  but  found  nothing,  and  re 
turning  at  last,  fell  asleep. 

At  eleven  o'clock  Dolores  awoke  and  looked  at  her 
watch.  The  day  was  quite  warm,  and  she  felt  very 
languid,  though  in  less  pain  than  yesterday.  Hear 
ing  a  suspicious,  tramping  sound  she  started,  to  see  a 
horse  browsing  in  the  edge  of  the  wood.  A  moment 
after  she  heard  voices,  and,  listening  intently,  discov 
ered  them  to  belong  undoubtedly  to  negroes.  The 
voices  came  nearer,  and  then  she  was  no  longer  in 
doubt.  It  was  two  negroes,  each  carrying  an  axe  in 
his  hand,  and  a  parcel  which  proved  to  be  a  luncheon, 
which  they  had  come  to  eat  at  the  spring.  With  diffi 
culty  she  rose  to  meet  them. 

"  Please  share  with  one  who  is  very  hungry,"  she 
said,  and,  sitting  down,  she  told  a  portion  of  her  story, 
Tot,  who  now  awoke,  joining  in  the  narrative. 

The  kind-hearted  men  at  once  offered,  nay,  in 
sisted  upon  Dolores  accepting  all  the  food  they  had. 
This  she  refused,  so  they  ate  barely  a  mouthful  each 
to  satisfy  her,  and  left  all  the  rest.  It  was  coarse, 
but  it  tasted  sweet  to  the  two  hungry  women.  There 
was  still  something  left,  which  they  put  away. 

The  men  had  come  to  cut  wood,  and  were  to  draw 
it  home  with  the  horse  at  night.  A  thought  sud 
denly  flashed  through  the  mind  of  Dolores  which 
made  her  heart  leap  for  joy.  She  must  secure  the 
horse  at  all  hazards.  He  was  large  and  strong,  and 
could  carry  them  all  at  night  and  rest  in  the  day. 
She  offered  her  watch  for  him,  but  the  negroes  were 
afraid  to  take  it.  At  last,  however,  she  took  a  pencil 


Ip8  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

from  her  pocket  and  wrote  a  note  to  the  owner  of  the 
horse,  signing  a  man's  name,  saying  the  person  appro 
priating  him  had  lost  his  way  and  needed  him,  so  had 
stolen  the  horse  while  the  men  were  chopping  and 
left  the  watch  in  its  place.  The  negroes  were  doubt 
ful  as  to  the  manner  in  which  their  master  would 
receive  this,  but  consented  at  last,  saying  their  young 
mistress  had  been  coaxing  for  a  watch  for  some  time, 
and  her  father  had  promised  her  one  as  soon  as  the 
cotton  crop  was  sold.  They  would  take  the  risk  of 
his  displeasure.  Too  happy  in  the  possession  of  such 
a  treasure  to  sleep,  Dolores  sat  and  talked  to  the 
horse  as  he  ate,  or  patted  his  head  whenever  he  came 
near,  until  he  became  quite  familiar. 

Soon  after  they  led  him  away  along  the  edge  of  the 
wood  for  some  distance,  and  at  last  Dolores  mounted 
him  to  see  how  gentle  he  was,  and  if  she  could  keep 
her  seat  without  a  saddle.  She  found  him  very 
gentle  indeed,  an  easy  rider,  and  she  soon  became 
accustomed  to  her  seat.  This  proved,  she  dis 
mounted,  and  Tot  tried  riding,  succeeding  very  well. 
At  last  they  paused,  allowing  him  to  feed  once  more 
while  they  partook  of  their  frugal  repast,  and  then, 
Dolores  sitting  forward  and  Tot  behind,  holding  the 
baby,  they  set  out  upon  their  night's  journey,  as  it 
was  in  the  twilight. 

For  three  nights  they  traveled  thus,  resting  in  the 
day,  but  finding  little  to  eat.  Then  growing  bolder, 
as  they  were  near  a  town  where  Dolores  proposed  to 
take  a  southerly  course,  Tot  entered  it  at  dusk,  and 
going  boldly  to  what  seemed  a  bakery  and  grocery 
combined,  bought  all  the  available  edibles  she  could 
carry.  This  was  a  great  help,  and,  though"  it  reduced 
their  purse,  both  considered  it  money  well  spent. 
They  supped  from  it  royally,  and  proceeded  upon 
their  way  undisturbed.  Both  were  beginning  to  be 
greatly  encouraged,  for  two  nights  more  of  travel 
would  bring  them  to  the  haven  they  sought.  Dolores 
was  greatly  wasted,  but  Tot,  her  hunger  appeased, 
seemed  almost  as  well  and  strong  as  ever. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  199 

In  the  morning  they  breakfasted  near  a  forest 
stream,  turning  the  horse,  as  usual,  out  to  pick  his 
breakfast  where  he  could,  and  then  lie  down,  as  did 
his  riders,  to  rest  until  evening.  Both  women  slept 
heavily  and  soundly,  and  Tot  was  the  first  to  wake, 
to  her  great  surprise.  She  did  not  know  the  hour, 
but  the  shadows  were  very  long,  and,  rising,  she 
spread  out  as  tempting  a  repast  from  their  store  as 
she  could  devise.  When  it  was  ready  she  went  to 
Dolores  and  laid  her  hand  upon  her  arm,  But  it  was 
impossible  to  waken  her. 

"  Wake  up,  honey,"  she  called,  "  de  suppah  is  all 
ready,  an'  we  mus'  eat  an'  go,  'cause  de  hoss  is  a- 
waitin'  and  we  is  a'most  home." 

"Yes,"  said  Dolores  at  last,  "  I  must  go,  for  Alfred 
is  coming  with  Ryan.  Is  it  Ryan  or  his  ghost  ?  No 
matter,  see  that  the  child  is  ready,  Sue." 

Her  cheeks  were  burning,  her  hands  hot  and  dry. 
Tot  had  seen  people  ill  of  fever  before,  but  she  never 
felt  so  shocked  as  now.  She  had  grown  to  idolize 
Dolores,  had  put  forth  every  effort  of  her  own  for 
her  sake,  and  now,  perhaps,  she  would  die  almost 
within  sight  of  the  home  she  had  struggled  to  reach 
so  long. 

Tot  bathed  her  head  and  face,  and  presently,  when 
she  asked  for  it,  gave  her  a  drink  of  water,  think 
ing  if  Dolores  could  only  be  clothed  in  her  right 
mind  she  would  bear  anything  else.  At  last,  when  it 
was  nearly  dark,  Tot  ate  her  supper  and  fed  little  Rose 
with  a  mixture  of  crackers,  water  and  sugar.  She  had 
bought  some  matches  among  other  things  and  some 
tea,  that  she  might  make  them  a  cup  when  necessary, 
but  there  was  nothing  in  the  way  of  medicine  among 
their  stores.  She  lighted  a  fire  and  made  tea  in  a  tin 
cup,  and  when  it  was  cold  she  gave  it  to  Dolores  to 
drink. 

For  many  days  and  nights — so  many  poor  Tot 
could  not  keep  their  record — Dolores  lay  in  this  state 
without  medicine  or  food,  except  an  occasional  spoon 
ful  of  panada,  with  only  tea  and  cold  water  to  drink. 


200  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

The  horse  wandered  away  unmissed.  The  babe  grew 
thin,  and  as  for  its  mother,  she  was  a  mere  skeleton  ; 
yet  still  Tot  watched  and  cared  for  both  with  never- 
failing  devotion.  By  taking  observations  she  found 
there  was  a  small  village  about  a  mile  distant,  and 
thither  she  went  at  dusk  one  evening  and  replenished 
her  store  of  edibles,  making  another  sad  inroad  upon 
the  now  slender  purse. 

But  at  last  Dolores  awoke  clothed  in  her  right 
mind,  though  almost  too  weak  to  speak,  and  Tot's 
joy  knew  no  bounds.  With  the  tenderest  care  she 
nursed  her  until,  though  almost  a  shadow,  she  could 
sit  up  and  at  last  walk  a  few  steps. 

The  nights  were  growing  chilly  when  they  were 
able  to  resume  their  journey  once  more,  and  Tot  de 
vised  wraps  from  the  baby's  skirts  for  its  mother,  and 
while  Dolores  directed  the  way  Tot  led  her  and  car 
ried  the  baby  too — now  a  weak,  melancholy-looking 
child.  They  walked  an  hour  the  first  night,  and  went 
perhaps  two  miles.  The  next  they  walked  longer, 
and  tried  the  feat  over  toward  morning.  And  so, 
little  by  little,  they  went  on  until  their  money  was  all 
spent  for  food. 

They  ate  their  last  meal  when  they  halted  in  the 
morning,  with  the  surrounding  country  still  strange  to 
Dolores.  When  night  came  again  they  set  out,  though 
faint  and  weary,  and  climbing  a  slight  ascent  they 
found  themselves  upon  the  brow  of  a  hill.  The 
moon  had  risen  and  shone  whitely  over  the  landscape 
below.  To  the  westward  flowed  a  river  ;  far  to  the 
south  stretched  smooth  plantation  fields,  and  set 
within  them  was  a  low,  rambling  white  house,  with 
wings  outspread  on  either  side,  like  a  hen  striving  to 
shelter  a  brood  of  chickens  which  clustered  near,  the 
chickens  being  represented  by  the  whitewashed  negro 
cabins,  which  were  huddled  together  just  outside  the 
protecting  wings. 

Dolores,  her  breath  fluttering  a  trifle  from  the  ef 
fort  of  ascending  the  hill,  laid  one  hand  upon  Tot's 
shoulder,  paused,  and  looked  eagerly  upon  this  land- 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NUL1L1TY.  2OI 

scape,  so  fair  to  the  view  in  the  calm  moonlight — 
looked,  and  lifted  her  eyelids  wider  as  she  leaned 
forward  with  a  greedy,  hungry  expression  upon  her 
face,  passed  one  hand  tremblingly  over  her  eyes,  and 
gazed  again  more  intently  than  before.  Her  lips 
parted,  closed  again,  and  then  opened  with  a  sound 
that  was  half  shriek,  half  moan. 

"  Idlefield 7"  she  cried,  and  then  she  fell  face  down 
ward  to  the  ground. 


CHAPTER   XXXI. 

"OUT    OF    THE    JAWS    OF    DEATH." 

Idlefield  had  greatly  changed  in  two  years,  not  so 
much  in  general  form,  but  it  had  been  brightened  up 
in  many  ways.  The  house  and  negro  cabins  had  all 
been  freshly  painted,  and  Rose  had  introduced  in 
both  many  improvements.  For  the  house  itself  there 
was  new  furniture  sent  from  New  York,  via  New  Or 
leans,  and  the  cabins  could  boast  many  articles  of 
comfort  which  had  been  strangers  to  them  before. 
In  fact,  the  entire  surroundings  bore  evidences  of 
thrift  that  could  only  be  traced  to  the  refined  and 
cultured  tastes  of  the  new  mistress  ;  and  while  she 
had  made  as  many  inroads  into  her  husband's  ideas 
of  slavery  as  she  had  changes  in  the  surroundings  at 
Idlefield,  they  were  not  yet  as  visible  to  the  casual 
visitor.  She  was,  however,  successful  in  her  efforts 
in  that  direction,  as  we  shall  see. 

It  was  a  beautiful  moonlit  October  night,  and  there 
were  groups  of  men  laughing  and  talking  here  and 
there  at  the  cabin  doors,  while  at  Mandy's  it  was 
evidently  reception  night,  from  the  merry-making 
within.  Mandy  was  proud  of  her  cottage,  for  it  was 
kept  the  neatest  of  any  in  Idlefield.  The  floor  was 
snowy  white  ;  there  were  five  whole  chairs,  to  say 
nothing  of  a  sixth  with  a  board  laid  over  it  where  the 
bottom  was  out ;  one  box,  with  a  chintz  cushion 
stuffed  with  hen  feathers  ;  a  pine  table,  white  as  the 


202  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

tloor,  upon  which  stood  a  pair  of  brass  candlesticks 
glittering  like  gold,  and  containing  tallow  candles 
nearly  as  yellow.  There  was  quite  a  display  of 
crockery  upon  a  set  of  shelves  at  one  side  of  the  fire 
place,  and  sundry  china  cups  and  cream  pitchers, 
with  a  nick  here  and  a  crack  there,  were  arranged  upon 
the  mantel,  a  long  shelf  extending  across  the  chimney 
and  nearly  as  high  as  the  rafters  of  the  cabin.  These 
various  receptacles  contained  sprays  of  flowers,  or 
bunches  of  what  Mandy  termed  "sweet  yarbs,"  for 
she  was  fond  of  both  "  yarbs  "  and  flowers.  Out 
side,  the  morning  glories  ran  riot  over  her  humble 
cottage,  one  more  venturesome  than  the  rest  having 
garlanded  the  chimney.  But  Mandy's  pride  centred 
upon  an  article  of  her  own  handiwork  suggested  by 
her  mistress,  who  learned  of  Miss  Nancy  the  art  of 
braiding  rags  together  and  sewing  them  into  mats. 
A  very  large  mat  of  this  description  covered  the  centre 
of  the  floor,  and  in  a  circle  round  it,  opening  toward 
the  fire,  sat  the  negro  women  of  the  plantation  en 
gaged  in  earnest  gossip. 

Mammy,  who  on  account  of  being  a  house  servant 
held  her  head  rather  lofty,  did  not,  however,  disdain 
to  attend  these  cabin  receptions,  and  particularly  when 
they  were  held  at  Mandy's,  since  Mandy's  place,  as 
chief  cook,  was  scarcely  below  that  of  nurse  and  head 
house  servant.  These  two  women,  therefore,  monopo 
lized  the  conversation,  the  younger  and  less  important 
ones  listening  intently,  or  putting  in  a  word  edgewise 
occasionally  whenever  they  had  anything  interesting 
to  state  in  the  way  of  news. 

"  Now,  Mammy,"  said  Mandy,  persuasively,  "  you 
is  'knowledged  to  be  larned  in  sicknesses,  w'at  does 
you  tink  ob  Missis  ?" 

"You  means,  Mandy,"  said  Mammy,  beating  about 
the  bush  to  gain  a  little  time,  "you  means  w'at  does  I 
tink  ob  de  Missis'  health?" 

"  Sartin  I  does,"  returned  Mandy,  "dat's  de  idee 
'zactly  ;  does  you  tink  she's  as  well  as  she  orter  be  ?" 

"I  links  she's  weller  dan  she  was  a  week  ago,"  said 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  203 

Mammy,  sagely,  resolved,  for  reasons  of  her  own,  to 
be  non-committal. 

"  I  hearn  Mas'r  Rick  dis  bery  mornin',"  put  in 
Chloe,  who  was  Mandy's  chief  assistant  in  the  culinary 
department,  "a-tellin'  Miss  Mosely's  Jim  dat  Missis 
was  convalescent  right  smart,  all  'cept  her  cough,  an' 
dat  was  bery  bad." 

"Laws,  Chlo,"  said  Mammy,  "dat  ain't  no  news 
ter  me,  dat  aint.  Foah  Mas'r  Rick  went  out  ter  tell 
Jim  he  says  ter  me,  '  Mammy,'  he  says,  '  w'at's  yer 
'pinion  o'  yer  missis'  state  ob  convalesce  ?'  an'  I  tells 
him  word  fer  word  w'at  Chlo  jes'  said." 

"  Chlo  !"  called  Sol  from  the  doorway,  he  was 
hanging  about  on  Chloe's  account,  being  quite  in 
love  with  her,  "  ef  you  go  inter  de  house  an'  ax  Mas'r 
Rick  fer  Dan'l  Webster's  dickshunary  p'raps  you  kin 
keep  track  o'  Mammy's  big  words." 

"  Sol,  you  brack  niggah !"  exclaimed  Mammy, 
"you  go  'long  an'  let  de  wimmen  folks  'lone.  De 
wonder  ob-my  life  is  w'y  dat  Chlo'  don't  muster  up 
de  immoral  courage  ter  gib  yo'  de  mitten  an'  hab 
done  \vi'  yer !" 

A  general  laugh  followed  this,  and  as  the  sound 
echoed  through  the  cabin  half  a  dozen  wooly  heads 
(more  or  less)  popped  up  simultaneously  from  the 
trundle-bed,  where  they  had  been  stowed  by  Mandy 
in  order  to  get  them  out  of  the  way,  and  began  a 
chorus  of  giggles  and  chuckles,  uttered  in  a  subdued 
tone  at  first,  but  gradually  growing  louder  as  their 
courage  increased. 

Mandy  rose  and  made  a  dive  for  the  trundle-bed, 
whereupon  the  half-dozen  heads  disappeared  under 
the  covers  so  suddenly  as  to  give  one  the  idea  of 
some  sleight-of-hand  practice. 

"  Ef  I  hears  anodder  word  outer  you  chillen  foah 
mornin',"  said  Mandy,  in  a  tone  meant  to  be  awe- 
inspiring,  "  I'll  skin  yer  alive  !" 

A  series  of  subdued  chuckles  under  the  bed-clothes 
was  the  only  response  to  this  awful  threat,  and  Mandy 
resutned  her  seat  while  the  gossip  went  on  undisturbed. 


204  SUUDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

Chloe  was  advised  to  dismiss  Sol  at  once,  where 
upon  she  declared  she  "  nebber  did  care  for  dat 
niggah  nohow  ;"  and  then  Mammy  gave  them  all  a 
piece  of  her  mind  concerning  the  propriety  of  calling 
Mas'r  Rick  simply  Mas'r,  since  there  was  a  young 
Mas'r  only  six  weeks  old  who  would  soon  arrive  at 
dignity  of  being  called  Mas'r  Halbert. 

Here  there  was  a  loud  barking  of  dogs,  whereupon 
there  was  a  second  uprising  in  the  trundle-bed. 
Mandy  went  out  and  called  Tige,  her  Newfoundland 
pet,  into  the  house,  and  it  being  all  she  could  do  to 
keep  him  there  the  children  giggled  on  unreproved. 
At  length  Mose,  Mandy's  husband,  came  in  from  one 
of  the  neighboring  cabins,  whereupon,  after  drinking 
some  of  Mandy's  home-brewed  beer,  the  women 
sought  their  several  cabins,  Mammy  returning  to  her 
post  in  the  house. 

Meanwhile  Rose,  propped  in  her  easy-chair  in  the 
parlor,  had  spent  the  hour  of  Mammy's  absence  in 
earnest  conversation  with  Rick.  Little  Halbert,  their 
six  weeks'  old  heir,  was  soundly  sleeping  in  his  cradle. 
Rick  appeared  little  changed  since  we  saw  him  last, 
except  his  features  wore  a  more  settled  expression 
than  formerly..  He  had  learned  to  curb  his  fiery 
temper,  seldom  exhibiting  it  to  his  slaves,  and  never 
to  his  wife.  To  Rose  he  had  been  invariably  gentle 
and  kind,  listening  to  all  her  convictions  in  regard  to 
the  institution  of  slavery,  many  of  them  differing  with 
his,  it  is  true,  yet  his  own  opinions  upon  the  subject 
were  greatly  changed  through  her  influence  and  the 
events  of  the  past  two  years.  It  was  the  year  of  a 
Presidential  election,  and  he  had  been  arguing  with 
her,  though  mildly,  that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to 
vote  for  the  Republican  candidate. 

"If  Fremont  is  elected,"  he  said,  "it  will  cause  a 
complete  revolution,  and  we  are  not  ready  for  that 
yet.  I  will  be  ready  as  soon  as  the  country  is." 

"  But,  Rick,  when  things  are  as  bad  as  they  can 
possibly  be,  a  revolution  is  the  only  thing  that  can 
set  them  right." 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  205 

"  My  dear,  if  it  were  known  that  I  voted  for  a 
Republican  President  this  country  would  be  too  hot 
to  hold  me  or  my  family." 

"Then,"  returned  Rose,  "it  is  a  dangerous  coun 
try  to  live  in,  and  the  sooner  we  set  our  slaves  free, 
sell  out  and  go  North  the  better  it  will  be  for  us." 

"Rose,  it  would  be  like  tearing  my  heart  out  to  sell 
Idlefield,  the  home  of  my  fathers.  Be  patient,  dear, 
and  all  will  be  well  in  time." 

"  Rick,"  she  said,  after  a  short  pause,  "  I  fancied 
you  looked  grave  this  afternoon  when  you  came  from 
the  post-office." 

"What  an  observing  little  puss  it  is,"  he  laughed. 
"  Yes,  dear,"  soberly,  "  I  received  bad  news,  or  at 
least  it  affected  me  unpleasantly,  and  I  wanted  to  tell 
you  about  it  while  we  were  alone.  You  will  be  sur 
prised  to  hear  it,  but  don't  be  shocked,  it  may  be  for 
the  best.  Alfred  Hastings  has  lost  his  wife  and  child." 

"  Why,  Rick,  how  very  sad  !" 

"  And  do  you  truly  feel  sorry  for  him,  dear  ?" 

"  Indeed  I  do.  Knowing  that  he  is  constitution 
ally  false  does  not  prevent  me  from  remember 
ing  that  he  has  feelings.  And  he  was  so  proud  of 
his  beautful  wife,  I  heard." 

"  Rose,  there  is  a  secret  concerning  her  life  which 
no  one  living,  at  least  in  this  country,  except  she  and 
I,  knew.  I  felt  a  delicacy  about  telling  it,  even  to 
my  darling,  but  now  that  Dolores  is  dead  it  will  do 
no  harm."  And  then  he  went  on  to  tell  her  the  story 
that  you  and  I,  reader,  already  know.  Rose  listened 
intently,  and  was  silent  when  he  finished. 

"  Are  you  very  angry  with  me,  dear,  for  the  part  I 
took  in  it  ?"  he  asked. 

"  No,  not  angry  at  all,  yet  I  am  sure,  my  husband, 
it  was  very  wrong.  You  had  no  right  to  take  ven 
geance  in  your  own  hands,  it  might  have  caused  great 
trouble.  I  am  not  saying  so  because  I  think  poor 
Dolores  was  beneath  Alfred,  only  the  deceit  was 
wrong,  and  then  if  by  accident  he  had  discovered  it 
I  do  believe  he  would  have  murdered  her." 


206  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

"  I  never  thought  of  that,"  replied  Rick  ;  "yet  I  told 
her  when  she  went  away,  and  also  when  I  saw  her 
last,  one  evening  during  the  summer  before  we  were 
married,  if  she  ever  needed  a  friend  to  send  me 
word." 

"  But,  dear  Rick,  don't  you  see  if  she  had  been  in 
any  great  trouble  like  that  she  could  never  have  sent 
you  word  ?  Oh  !"  with  a  little  start,  the  last  ejacu 
lation  not  directed  to  Rick,  for  her  eyes  were  fixed 
upon  the  window  where  the  blinds  were  open  to  let 
the  moonlight  in. 

"  What  is  it  ?"  Rick  asked,  in  sudden  alarm. 

"  Some  one  came  to  the  window,"  she  replied  in  a 
low  tone.  "  Not  one  of  our  people,  Rick,  but  a  white 
woman — oh,  so  white  and  wild  looking,  with  a  child 
in  her  arms." 

"  My  dear,"  he  began,  as  he  started  to  his  feet  and 
looked  her  full  in  the  face. 

"I  am  not  nervous,"  she  returned,  "and  I  do  not 
believe  in  ghosts.  It  was  a  living  woman,  wan  and 
white,  with  a  hunted  look  in  her  face,  and  such  great,, 
sad,  beautiful  dark  eyes." 

"Can  it  be " 

"  If  Alfred  wrote  you  his  wife  was  dead,"  inter 
rupted  Rose,  "we  have  every  reason  to  believe  her 
living.  In  any  case,  it  is  some  poor  creature  in  dis 
tress.  Go  out  quietly  and  see  who  it  is." 

Rick  went  out,  as  -Rose  bade  him,  and  stood  for  a 
moment  upon  the  verandah.  Upon  just  such  an 
evening  he  stood  there,  the  storm  of  his  anger  over, 
when  Dolores  emerged  from  the  window,  and  he 
promised  her  that  he  would  protect  her,  since  he  was 
in  honor  bound  to  do  so.  He  waited  a  moment,  but 
no  one  came. 

"  Dolores  !"  he  called,  softly,  yet  feeling  almost  that 
his  wife  had  been  mistaken  in  what  she  saw. 

No,  there  was  no  mistake.  Half-famished,  and 
faint  and  worn,  with  a  child  in  her  arms,  so  emaciated 
it  seemed  like  a  mere  skeleton,  Dolores  came  forward 
and  fell  at  his  feet. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  207 

"  It  is  I,"  she  said.  "  For  God's  sake  save  me  and 
my  child  from  slavery  and  from  him  /" 

"  Do  not  fear,"  he  said,  gently,  and  stooping  he 
raised  her  prestrate  form.  "  You  need  have  no  fear 
of  slavery  or  of  anything,  for  Rose  and  I  will  protect 
and  care  for  you  as  a  sister." 

"  There  is  some  one  else,"  she  said.  "  Sue's  daughter 
— I  asked  you  to  find  her  for  me  once.  Her  name  has 
been  changed  to  Tot,  and  she  is  here  with  me.  She 
has  saved  my  life,  Rick,  over  and  over  again." 

"She  is  welcome,  too,"  Rick  said,  as  Tot  came  for 
ward  modestly  ;  "she  is  more  than  welcome,  for  you 
will  need  a  maid,  and  she  can  help  you  better  than 
any  one  here.  Come  in  ;  my  poor  wife  is  ill,  but  she 
will  be  very  glad  to  have  you  with  us." 

Tot  took  the  child,  and  Rick  lifted  Dolores  up 
and  carried  her  into  the  house,  as  she  seemed  unable 
to  stand. 

"Rose,"  he  said,  "this  is  Dolores,  of  whom  we 
were  speaking.  She  is  not  dead,  as  Alfred  wrote,  but 
has,  with  her  child  and  maid,  sought  our  protection." 

With  difficulty  Rose  gained  her  feet  and  held  out 
her  hands  to  Dolores,  while  Rick  put  out  a  hand  to 
steady  each. 

"  Welcome  to  Idlefield  !"  she  said,  and  she  kissed 
her  wan  cheek. 

"  How  can  I  thank  you  ?"  cried  Dolores,  deeply 
affected.  "Dear  Mrs.  Gonzales  — 

"No,"  gently  interrupted  Rose.  "I  am  Rose  to 
you  always,  and  my  husband  is  Rick.  Never  forget 
this,  .dear.  And  now,  Rick,  assist  her  to  the  sofa  ; 
she  must  lie  down  at  once." 

"  But  you  do  not  know,"  Dolores  began,  still  fear 
ing  a  repulse. 

"  I  know  everything,"  said  Rose,  sinking  back  into 
her  chair  as  she  spoke,  "except  why  you  are  here  to 
night.  Rick  had  a  letter  from  your  husband  to-day 
saying  you  were  dead." 

Dolores  shivered. 

"First  of  all,"  she  said,  suddenly,  "if  he  finds  I  am 


208  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

here  he  will  come  and  murder  me,  as  he  has  already 
tried  to  do." 

"  Trust  us,"  Rick  answered,  "  we  will  protect  you  ; 
and  yet  I  own  it  would  be  better  if  Alfred  did  not 
know  you  were  here." 

"Fortunately,"  said  Rose,  "the  servants  are  all  out 
of  the  house  except  yours." 

"And  she  can  be  trusted  with  anything,"  Dolores 
answered.  "  Only  for  her  I  would  now  be  a  slave." 

"  A  slave!" 

"  Alfred  sold  me  after  trying  to  poison  me,  for 
Sue  secretly  foiled  him  in  the  attempt.  Sue  helped 
me  to  escape,  and  in  following  us  Alfred  mistook  her 
for  me,  because  she  wore  my  shawl,  and  shot  and 
killed  her.  The  man  who  bought  me  had  not  paid 
down  the  money,  but  he  lay  in  wait  for  me  and  cap 
tured  me  two  weeks  later.  Meanwhile  I  had  found 
Tot,  and  she  helped  me  to  escape  from  him.  But  we 
are  nearly  starved." 

"  Starved  !"  exclaimed  Rose,  "  and  yet  I  might 
have  known.  Rick,  there  are  crackers  and  milk  on 
the  stand,  give  some  to  each  at  once.  Oh,  you  poor, 
persecuted  child,  my  heart  aches  for  you  !" 

Rick  poured  out  some  milk  and  gave  it  to  Dolores, 
then  to  Tot,  who  first  fed  little  Rose.  While  they  were 
eating  he  said  : 

"  I  think,  for  you  are  greatly  changed,  it  will  be 
better  for  you  to  assume  another  name.  You  must 
be  Seiiora  Dolorita  Castellar,  a  cousin  to  the  Dolores 
who  married  Alfred  Hastings,  and  is  dead.  You  were 
coming  to  visit  her,  were  taken  sick  upon  your  journey 
and  lost  your  baggage.  Your  maid  sickened  and 
died  and  you  were  obliged  to  procure  another." 

"Yes,"  continued  Rose,  "and  Rick  must  take  you 
and  your  poor  little  child  up  to  your  room  at  once. 
No  one  is  up-stairs,  and  we  will  let  the  servants  think 
you  arrived  in  the  night.  There  is  a  fire  ready  to  be 
lighted  in  the  room,  and  Rick  will  take  up  water  so 
you  can  bathe  yourself  and  put  on  some  of  my  clean 
clothing.  I  would  send  for  Mammy  at  once,  but  if 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  209 

Tot  is  able  to  wait  upon  you  it  will  be  better  that 
she  does  so.  I  am  anxious  to  hear  your  whole 
story,  but  you  are  too  weak  and  tired  to  relate  it  ; 
also,  you  must  get  up  stairs  before  Mammy  comes. 
Do  not  fear,  nothing  shall  harm  you  while  you 
are  under  our  roof.  Now  go,  and  Rick  will  send 
for  more  food,  under  pretense  that  he  is  hungry,  and 
you  can  eat  it  in  your  room." 

Dolores  was  trembling  with  excitement  and  grate 
ful  joy,  and  Rose  was  almost  as  greatly  agitated. 
Rick  came  and  assisted  Dolores  up  the  stair-case, 
cutting  short  her  thanks  and  saying  she  was  too 
weak  to  speak  so  much.  She  was  soon  comfortably 
seated  in  an  easy-chair  before  an  open  fire,  her  child 
in  her  arms,  and  happy,  faithful  Tot,  seeming  almost 
as  well  as  ever,  was  bustling  about,  preparing  to  give 
the  baby  a  bath  before  putting  it  to  bed. 

Rick  had  closed  the  blinds  before  leaving,  and  he 
now  appeared  with  clean  clothing  for  mother  and  child, 
and  all  the  edibles  he  could  find.  There  was  a  plain 
black  dress,  bonnet  and  shawl  which  Rose  had  brought 
from  home  with  her  but  had  never  worn.  These 
she  sent  up  with  the  other  things,  directing  that 
Dolores  should  have  her  old  clothing  bundled  to 
gether  so  it  could  be  destroyed,  for  it  was  all  in  rags. 

An  hour  later,  clean  and  comfortable  as  possible  in 
the  clothing  Rose  had  sent  up,  Dolores  and  her  child 
were  lying  snugly  in  bed,  feeling  almost  at  peace  now 
the  haven  sought  for  months  through  toil  and  suffer 
ing  was  found  at  last.  Tot,  who  had  not  been  for 
gotten  by  Rose,  but  who  was  neatly  clothed  in  some 
of  the  servants  underwear  which  had  not  been  given 
out,  was  tucked  up  on  a  lounge  near  and  already  in 
the  land  of  dreams.  The  moonlight  shone  without 
and  the  firelight  flickered  within,  and  Dolores  soon 
dropped  into  the  most  refreshing  slumber  she  had 
known  since  she  woke  that  morning  in  Riverton 
and  found  her  secret  was  hers  no  more.  By  the  help 
of  her  mother's  race  she  had  regained  her  freedom, 
which  had  been  almost  lost,  and  she  vowed  to  be  con- 


210  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

slant  to  the  interests  of  this  race  during  the  remainder 
of  her  life. 

Below,  Mammy  slept  heavily,  with  little  Halbert,  the 
young  heir  of  Idlefield,  upon  her  arm,  and  Rick  and 
Rose  talked  together  far  into  the  night. 

"It  would  be  folly  to  defy  our  neighbors  publicly 
now,"  Rick  said,  "  in  the  present  state  of  political  ex 
citement,  but  I  mean  to  send  the  first  of  a  series  of 
articles  to  some  of  the  leading  Northern  papers  to 
morrow — articles  which  are  true  in  every  particular, 
and  which  lay  bare  the  worst  evils  of  slavery.  We  can 
only  begin  the  work  by  moving  the  hearts  of  the  people 
there,  for  the  hearts  of  the  masters  here  are  hardened 
and  cannot  be  touched.  And  though  in  this  Demo 
cratic  State  a  Republican  vote  would  avail  nothing, 
still  the  principle  remains,  and  henceforth  I  pledge 
myself  not  to  vote  for  any  man,  however  unim 
portant  the  office  he  is  seeking  may  be,  who  upholds 
slavery.  An  institution  under  which  it  is  possible  for 
a  man  to  sell  his  wife  and  child  into  the  vilest  slavery 
it  was  ever  woman's  lot  to  endure  is  one  which  must 
be  put  down  as  soon  as  possible.  Think  what  the 
life  of  Dolores  would  have  been  if  Alfred  had  ac 
complished  his  hellish  purpose  !" 

"Yes,"  said  Rose,  "and  think,  too,  what  suffering 
she  endured  to  gain  her  freedom.  Why,  she  has 
escaped  from  the  very  jaws  of  death  !" 

"I  incidentally  heard  this  morning  that  William 
Glancy,  a  large  grocer  of  Cincinnati,  was  driven  out  of 
New  Orleans  because  he  received  and  read  the  Cin 
cinnati  Gazette,  a  strong  Republican  paper.  Do  you 
know,  I  feel  greatly  alarmed  at  the  temper  of  our  South 
ern  fanatics.  If  politicians  incite  mobs  to  drive  away 
men  who  come  here  to  purchase  sugar,  molasses  and 
cotton,  what  will  be  the  use  of  us  working  our  people 
hard  to  raise  large  crops.  Our  markets  for  these 
products  are  with  the  North  principally.  The  truth 
is,  Rose,  these  people  are  rushing  blindly  forward  to 
ward  a  bloody  war.  Mobbing  such  men  as  I  under 
stand  Mr.  Glancy  is  will  have  a  tendency  to  bring  it 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  211 

on  sooner  than  many  of  those  who  are  talking  war 
expect." 

"  How  did  this  gentleman  escape  ?"  says  Rose. 

"  They  gave  him  twenty-four  hours  to  leave  and 
he  did  not  demand  forty-eight,"  replied  Rick. 

"  I  am  glad  he  left,  and  I  believe,  as  I  said  before, 
we  should  do  the  same,  after  liberating  our  slaves." 


CHAPTER   XXXII. 

POLITICAL      AGITATION. 

With  the  first  dawn  Rick  called  Mammy,  hearing 
her  awake  with  his  little  son. 

"Mammy,"  he  said,  "do  you  remember  Miss 
Dolores,  who  married  Mr.  Hastings  ?" 

"  Sartin  I  does,  Mas'r,"  returned  Mammy,  in  some 
surprise. 

"  I  received  a  letter  from  her  husband  yesterday 
saying  she  is  dead,  and  last  night  a  friend  and  near 
relative  of  hers  from  Cuba,  who  was  educated  with 
her,  who  played  the  same  things  upon  the  piano  and 
learned  the  same  songs,  came  on  here  to  see  Mrs. 
Hastings.  She  did  not  hear  her  friend  was  dead  until 
her  arrival.  She  was  very  sick  while  coming.  Her 
maid  died  and  she  was  obliged  to  procure  a  new  one, 
who  is  sick  and  worn  out  too.  She  lost  every  bit  of 
her  baggage.  I  didn't  call  you,  but  sent  her  up  to 
the  old  room  the  senorita  used  to  occupy.  She  has  a 
tiny  babe  and  may  need  something.  I  want  you  to 
go  up  and  try  and  make  them  comfortable." 

"  Pore  ting  !"  sighed  Mammy.  "  Is  she  like  Miss 
Dolores,  Mas'r  ?" 

"  As  like  as  two  peas,  Mammy,  only  this  one,  whom 
you  must  call  Senora  Castellar,  is  older  and  appears 
taller,  and  is  not  so  stout.  She  is  worn  out  with  travel 
and  sick  into  the  bargain,  and  wants  nourishing.  Now, 
Mammy,  I  leave  her  in  your  hands.  Bring  the  boy 
here  while  you  go." 

Mammy,  her  kind  heart  bent  upon  having  the  poor 


212  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

senora  well  at  the  first  possible  moment,  went  up  and 
knocked  at  Dolore's  door,  and  when  bidden  to  enter 
began  at  once  her  ministrations.  If  Dolores  had  any 
fears  of  being  recognized  they  were  soon  banished  by 
Mammy's  tearful  allusions  to  "  de  pore  senorita  dead 
an'  gone,"  and  declarations  to  the  effect  that  "  Mas'r 
Rick  was  all  out  of  his  reckonin'  to  say  the  senorita  and 
the  senora  were  alike,  since  their  faces  were  an  alto 
gether  different  shape  ;  and  then,  too,  the  senora  had 
gray  in  her  hair. 

There  was  little  for  Mammy  to  do,  for  Tot  had 
everything  in  order  ;  but  she  bustled  about  to  show 
her  good-will,  and  then  went  down  to  get  some 
nourishing  food  for  Dolores  and  the  babe,  declaring 
that  "  w'at  did  keep  de  pore  chile's  bones  frem  comin' 
froo  its  skin  "  she  could  not  tell. 

That  same  day  Dolores  and  Tot  had  a  long  con 
versation  together.  Dolores  at  present  had  no  money 
and  could  not  pay  Tot  wages,  but  if  she  chose  to 
remain  she  would  see  that  she  was  suitably  provided 
for  in  time  ;  and  Tot  declared,  with  her  usual  devotion, 
she  only  cared  to  remain  with  Dolores,  as  she  needed 
nothing  but  food  and  clothing. 

Rick  went  to  Milton  in  the  afternoon,  bringing  back 
with  him  slippers  and  shoes,  and  other  needed  things, 
for  Dolores,  making  her  quite  comfortable. 

Two  weeks  passed  and  Dolores  was  able  to  go 
down-stairs  to  sit  and  chat  with  Rose  and  amuse  her, 
for,  notwithstanding  her  love  for  her  husband  and  his 
people,  Rose  had  been  lonely  at  times  since  her 
marriage. 

"  My  mother  died  of  consumption,"  she  said  to 
Dolores,  "  and  sometimes  I  think  I  shall  go  in  the 
same  way." 

The  fear  had  taken  possession  of  both  Rick  and 
Dolores,  but  neither  would  confess  it  to  each  other, 
and  above  all  not  to  Rose.  On  the  contrary,  Dolores 
was  as  cheerful  as  possible,  and  the  two  women  soon 
came  to  regard  each  other  with  more  than  ordinary 
friendship.  Dolores  knew  for  the  first  time  what  it 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  213 

was  to  have  a  friend  near  her  own  age,  and  she  grew 
to  love  Rose  almost  to  idolatry.  She  played  and 
sang  to  her,  concocted  soothing  herb  drinks,  nursing 
her  so  judiciously  and  gently  that  her  patient  soon 
began  to  improve  rapidly. 

"I  am  a  famous  nurse,"  she  said  once,  laughing, 
"  and  I  think  I  will  go  North  when  Baby  Rose  grows 
older  and  seek  employment  in  one  of  the  hospitals." 

"You  will  do  nothing  of  the  kind!"  exclaimed 
Rose.  "  Ah,  Dolorita,  I  can  never  spare  you  again. 
It  seems  as  though  you  had  saved  my  life.  Even  the 
doctor  admits  now  that  I  was  upon  the  verge  of  a 
decline,  and  gentle  nursing  brought  me  away  from 
it." 

It  seemed  to  Dolores  when  she  came,  that  the 
old  negroes  she  had  known  upon  the  place  before 
could  not  fail  to  recognize  her,  but  two  things 
were  especially  in  her  favor :  her  hair,  which  was 
still  heavy  and  luxuriant,  was  thickly  threaded 
with  white.  It  had  been  so  upon  her  return,  and 
before  she  was  able  to  go  down-stairs  it  was  more 
than  half  gray,  which  greatly  changed  her.  Aside 
from  this,  though  she  could  scarcely  be  called  thin, 
her  form  did  not  regain  its  former  plump  perfection, 
but  remained  willowy  and  slender,  which  gave  her 
the  appearance  of  being  taller  than  before.  Besides, 
both  Rick  and  Rose  fell  into  the  habit  of  calling  her 
Dolorita,  or  Rita,  and  the  name,  however  like  it 
seemed  when  put  upon  paper,  was  very  different  from 
Dolores  in  sound  when  spoken.  Her  movements 
were  more  staid,  her  manner  gentle  and  sad,  mingled 
with  a  quiet  cheerfulness,  which  was  far  removed  from 
her  former  vivacity. 

Unlike  the  Dolores  of  old,  she  won  the  love  of  all 
the  slaves,  instead  of  shrinking  from  them.  So  it 
came  that  no  one  wondered  why  she  prolonged  her 
visit.  She  wore  black  always,  and  was  supposed  to  be 
a  widow.  She  never  wore  jewelry  of  any  sort,  but 
dressed  in  persistent  plainness.  And  then,  Rose  was 
often  heard  to  declare  she  could  never  part  with  her. 


214  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NUIUL1TY. 

The  election  came  and  with  it  much  ill-temper, 
and  to  Rick's  secret  disappointment  Buchanan  was 
elected  President.  United  and  happy  was  his  home 
circle,  but  even  among  the  neighbors  who  had  known 
him  from  a  child  he  was  looked  upon  with  no  small 
disfavor.  It  was  reported  that  his  Northern  wife  was 
at  the  bottom  of  the  change  in  his  sentiments,  for, 
though  as  yet  they  were  too  new  and  almost  unsettled 
to  urge  him  to  go  forth  and  battle  publicly  for  them, 
it  was  well  known  that  they  were  to  a  certain  extent 
changed,  and  they  differed  widely  from  those  expressed 
by  his  neighbors.  They  held  that  his  idea  of  uniting 
families,  which  they  had  first  looked  upon  as  a  whim, 
gave  dissatisfaction  to  their  own  slaves,  who  were 
more  or  less  intermarried  with  slaves  upon  the  neigh 
boring  plantations.  In  order  to  show  him  he  could 
not  set  an  example  for  older  men  to  follow,  with  all 
his  airs,  they  undertook  to  be  as  severe  as  possible 
with  their  own  negroes,  and  certain  brutal  things  they 
did  in  consequence  coming  to  Rick's  ears  grieved 
him  to  the  heart. 

"  It  is  of  no  use,  Rose,"  he  said  one  day,  when  she 
repeated  to  him  a  fresh  outrage  which  she  had  learned 
of  through  Mammy,  "  I  can  do  nothing.  People  may 
talk  of  battling  boldly  for  the  right,  but  a  man,  and 
particularly  a  Southerner,  who  attempts  it  is  tied  hand 
and  foot.  Why,  its  like  going  into  a  country  as  mis 
sionary,  when  the  first  act  of  the  heathen  king  is  to 
cut  your  head  off  and  sacrifice  a  thousand  human 
victims  to  celebrate  the  event.  I  begin  to  agree  with 
you  that  nothing  short  of  the  total  abolition  of  slavery 
will  remedy  the  evil,  and  even  then  there  must  be  a 
life-long  struggle  before  things  can  be  set  right." 

Three  years  passed  by  of  this  peace  at  home  and 
unrest  abroad.  North  and  South,  the  country  was 
in  a  state  of  excitement.  The  Kansas  troubles  were 
a  source  of  constant  debate  in  Congress,  and  in  every 
lamlet  beside.  At  this  particular  moment  they  had 
jjiven  place  temporarily  to  the  John  Brown  excite- 
nent.  The  Thirty-sixth  Congress  assembled,  and  it 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  21$ 

was  only  after  a  struggle  of  eight  weeks'  duration  that 
a  speaker  was  elected.  In  Congress  there  was  a  small 
Republican  majority,  the  South  being  solidly  Demo 
cratic,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  "  American "  or 
"  Know  Nothing"  members,  particularly  from  Ten 
nessee  These  numbered  a  score  or  so,  though  they 
were  chiefly  from  the  Northern  States.  A  hard  battle 
was  fought  to  place  a  strong  Republican  in  the 
Speaker's  chair,  but  it  failed,  and  Pennington,  an  old- 
line  Whig,  but  favoring  the  Fugitive  Slave  Act,  was 
elected  upon  the  forty-fourth  ballot.  This  was  some 
thing  of  a  victory  for  the  Republicans,  though,  per 
haps,  not  so  good  as  could  have  been  desired.  Still 
the  murmurs  from  the  South  were  loud  and  deep,  and 
the  declaration  that  if  a  Republican  President  were 
elected  the  coming  fall  the  South  would  rebel  in  a 
body  became  general.  Davis  (afterward  President  of 
the  Confederacy)  and  Brown  were  the  Senators  from 
Mississippi,  and  the  five  Congressmen  were  all 
Democrats. 

Rose,  when  she  came  South,  had  ordered  two  or 
three  Republican  papers.  At  first  they  arrived  regu 
larly,  but  at  length  they  gradually  ceased  coming. 
Inquiry  was  made  at  the  post-office  at  Milton,  and 
the  postmaster,  with  an  oath,  replied  "he  did  not 
receive  them  now,  and  it  was  well  for  her  he  did  not, 
as  the  Regulators  would  not  allow  such  incendiary 
papers  to  go  through  the  Southern  mails,  much  less 
read  !"  Rick  wrote  on  to  New  York,  but  received  no 
answer.  He  was  certain  that  his  letter  was  never  sent 
out,  and  was  contemplating  the  idea  of  taking  steps  to 
have  the  matter  investigated  when  his  mind  was  com 
pletely  absorbed  by  occurrences  at  home. 

Rose  was  subject  to  colds,  and  when  suffering  from 
one  always  had  a  severe  cough.  Dolores  had,  so  far, 
nursed  her  through  them  successfully,  but  a  cold  taken 
in  the  late  autumn  grew  worse  and  worse  as  the  sea 
son  advanced,  until  she  became  very  ill  indeed.  The 
family  physician  came,  but  his  attendance  failed  to 
bring  the  patient  any  relief.  Dr.  Cathcart  was  a  man 


2l6  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

past  middle  age,  who  had  attended  the  family  at  Idle- 
field  ever  since  Rick  was  an  infant.  His  patients  were 
the  most  wealthy  and  respectable  of  those  of  any 
physician  near,  and  he  was,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
t^iven  to  upholding  slavery  at  all  times.  He  had 
argued  with  Rick  about  his  Quixotic  ideas,  until,  rind 
ing  it  did  no  good,  he  determined,  even  at  a  loss  to  him 
self,  to  devise  a  plan  to  shield  Rick  from  the  effects 
of  the  storm  of  public  opinion  which  had  been  brew 
ing  against  him  for  some  time. 

"  My  boy,"  he  said,  "the  climate,  mild  though  it 
may  be,  evidently  does  not  agree  with  your  wife,  and 
I  would  not  recommend  the  Northern  air  either.  You 
have  ample  means  to  take  her  to  Europe,  and  my 
advice  to  you  is  to  go  to  Italy  and  remain  there,  or  in 
the  south  of  France,  for  two  or  three  years.  It  may 
be  the  means  of  saving  your  wife's  life — in  any  case, 
it  will  prolong  it." 

"  Is  it  so  serious  as  that  ?"  he  asked,  sadly. 

"  I  do  not  believe  she  would  survive  another  winter 
here,"  the  doctor  said,  knowing  he  had  struck  the 
right  chord. 

"  I  will  go,"  Rick  answered,  a  moment  later,  "  but 
I  ought  to  have  some  time  to  complete  my  arrange 
ments  for  leaving." 

"  It  would  not  be  advisable  to  go  until  the  weather 
is  settled,"  returned  the  doctor,  "as  a  rough  passage 
would  distress  Mrs.  Gonzales  exceedingly.  Take 
your  time  and  make  your  preparations  to  stay.  A 
year  or  two  in  the  south  of  Europe  may  result  in 
your  wife's  complete  recovery." 

Rick  thanked  him,  and  then  he  went  away  feeling 
that  he  had  done  a  wise  thing. 

"  There's  trouble  ahead,"  said  the  doctor  to  himself, 
"  if  Rick  stays.  If  he  goes  it  may  blow  over  before 
he  returns,  and  the  change  of  air  will  certainly  bene 
fit  his  wife.  He  means  well  and  has  a  good  heart,  and 
I  cannot  bear  that  any  harm  should  befall  him." 

Meanwhile  Rick  confided  the  news  to  Dolores,  who 
was  deeply  troubled  concerning  the  health  of  poor 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  217 

Rose,  and  then  she  went,  at  his  suggestion,  to  break 
the  news  to  her.  She  did  not  tell  Rose  all  the  phy 
sician  said,  only  that  he  thought  the  trip  would  speed  her 
recovery  and  be  to  her  relief.  Rose  seemed  eager  to 
go.  She  felt  too  weak  to  battle  in  the  political  storm 
she  knew  was  coming;  besides,  the  little  they  had  done 
seemed  so  useless,  causing  more  harm  than  good.  She 
therefore  consented  to  go,  urging  Rick  to  set  his 
slaves  free  before  they  left. 

"  Not  yet,"  he  said.  "  If  I  do  that  I  must  be  here 
to  take  care  of  them  ;  they  would  be  subject  to  all 
manner  of  tyranny  and  outrage  otherwise.  Mr.  White 
is  a  capital  overseer  and  would  manage  the  plantation 
carefully,  only  I  feel  that  we  need  some  one  in  the 
house — some  woman,  I  mean.  Do  you  not  think  we 
might  leave  Dolorita  ?  The  blacks  all  love  her  so 
much  they  would  be  guided  by  her  at  all  times." 

"I  know,"  Rose  answered  ;  ''but,  Rick,  I  cannot 
go  without  Dolorita,  she  seems  necessary  to  my  com 
fort  and  cheerfulness.  And  then  what  would  poor 
little  Halbert  do  without  her?  And  I  would  miss 
poor  little  Rose,  too.  No,  Rick,  we  must  take  Rita 
and  her  child,  and  either  Tot  or  Mammy  ;  we  will 
need  no  more.  Besides,  suppose  Alfred  should  take 
it  into  his  head  to  come  and  pry  into  our  affairs  while 
we  are  gone  ?" 

"  You  are  right.  I  forgot  for  the  moment  how 
necessary  Dolorita  is  to  your  happiness.  She  shall 
go,  and  we  will  find  some  one  else  to  take  charge  of 
the  house.  I  would  not  be  afraid  to  trust  Mammy, 
but  the  other  women  might  not  listen  to  her  advice  at 
all  times,  so  we  must  try  and  find " 

At  this  moment  there  seemed  some  sort  of  com 
motion  going  on  outside.  Sol  had  returned  from  the 
post-office,  but  not  alone.  He  set  down  a  tall,  square, 
bony  woman,  who  paused  a  moment  to  wave  her  ging 
ham  umbrella  in  a  manner  calculated  to  inspire  the 
beholder  with  the  idea  of  a  general  waving  his  sol 
diers  on  to  battle,  as  she  gave  orders  concerning  the 
•disposition  of  a  small  hair  trunk,  with  "  N.  B."  (take 


2l8  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

notice)  shining  out  from  the  top,  being  put  on  with 
brass  nail-heads,  a  large  black  canvas  bag  and  a  green 
wooden  chest  fastened  with  a  padlock.  Then  Miss 
Nancy  advanced,  carrying  her  umbrella  in  one  hand, 
and  a  band-box,  tied  up  in  a  piece  of  gingham  to 
match  the  umbrella,  in  the  other. 

She  wore  a  black  alpaca  dress,  with  a  straight  skirt, 
rather  scant  for  the  fashion.  There  was  little  trim 
ming  on  the  dress,  and  what  there  was  seemed  glued 
fast,  so  closely  did  it  cling  to  the  dress  proper.  There 
was  a  stone-colored  shawl,  with  a  broche'  border, 
thrown  about  her  shoulders,  and  upon  her  head  a 
bonnet  of  gray  shirred  silk,  with  a  few  bows  of  the 
same  color,  each  bow  so  flat  it  had  the  appearance 
of  being  subjected  to  the  humiliation  of  having  its 
ears  boxed  to  make  it  lie  down  properly.  Inside  the 
bonnet  was  a  ruche  of  white  tulle,  dotted  with  knots 
of  lavender  satin  ribbon  scarcely  wider  than  a  cord, 
and  over  the  bonnet  was  tied  a  black  lace  veil,  about 
a  yard  in  length  and  half  a  yard  in  width,  heavily 
embroidered  at  the  bottom  with  black  silk.  Add  to 
this  a  pair  of  coarse,  low  shoes,  and  loose  cotton 
gloves,  so  short  they  scarcely  reached  over  the  lower 
thumb-joint,  and  we  have  Miss  Nancy's  outfit  complete. 

Rose  laughed  heartily  when  she  saw  her,  and  asked 
Rick  to  give  her  his  arm  so  she  might  meet  her  old 
friend  at  the  door,  who  by  this  time  had  quite  a  train 
of  followers,  in  the  shape  of  ten  or  fifteen  little 
darkeys,  from  two  years  of  age  up  to  ten,  who  were 
striving  to  keep  pace  with  her  in  order  to  get  a 
glimpse  of  her  face. 

"  I  knowed  it,"  cried  Miss  Nancy,  with  her  well- 
remembered  shriek.  "  I  knowed  my  poor  Rosy  would 
be  all  but  worked  to  death,  and  no  wonder,  with  sich 
a  passel  o'  little  nigs  to  take  keer  on.  My  good 
gracious  !  is  this  all  you've  got  ?" 

Here  she  paused  long  enough  to  give  Rose  a 
hearty  smack  on  her  pale  cheek  and  shake  Rick  by 
the  hand. 

''With  all  my  takin'  keer  o'  Mariar,"  she  continued 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  219 

with  renewed  vigor,  "  she  up  and  died  'bout  a  year 
sense,  and  that  low-lived  brother  o'  mine  went  off 
last  week  and  got  married  to  a  sixteen-year-old  gal 
that  haint  got  no  more  brains  than  a  day-old  kitten. 
Lord-a-massy,  I  couldn't  stan'  it  nohow,  so  I  jest 
packs  up  and  sails  off,  and  'here  I  be.  Be  you  glad 
to  see  me  ?"  

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

MISS    NANCY    FALLS   INTO    HEATHENISH    PRACTICES. 

''We're  very  glad,"  Rick  answered.  "  I  cannot  tell 
you  how  glad,  Aunt  Nancy,"  as  they  ushered  her  into 
the  drawing-room. 

"Purty  place,  ain't  it?"  said  Miss  Nancy,  eyeing 
the  appointments  of  the  room.  "  Who's  that  tall  wo 
man  out  in  the  gardin  ?  She  looks  fer  all  the  world 
like  one  o'  them  air  idolatrous  popish  women  as  shets 
themselves  up  in  convicts." 

"  That  is  a  very  dear  friend  of  ours,"  replied  Rose, 
smiling.  "  Her  father  and  Rick's  were  friends  years 
ago.  She  is  a  Cuban  and  has  lost  her  husband,  so 
she  always  wears  black.  It  is  her  taste  to  dress 
plainly.  You  will  like  her,  I  am  sure,  Aunt  Nancy, 
for  she  is  very  gentle  and  good  like  yourself." 

"  I  ain't  gentle,"  laughed  Miss  Nancy,  "and  I  don't 
know  's  I'm  good,  but  I'm  good  enough  to  them  I  like, 
and  you're  one  on  'em.  More'n  that.  I  b'lieve  I  take 
to  everybody  that  likes  you.  Laws,  child,  I  guess  I 
kin  git  off  my  own  things.  Now  here  I  be,  and  if  I 
kin  be  of  any  use  to  you — well,  you  jist  use  me,  that's 
all  !" 

"You  can  be  of  great  use  to  us,  Aunt  Nancy,"  said 
Rick,  "and  I  want  you  to  stay  with  us  as  long  as  you 
live.  Rose  and  I  are  going  away  in  about  two  months 
to  Europe  for  her  health." 

"  Well,  now,  you  don't  say  ?  I  thought  she  looked 
kind  o'  peakid.  How  long  air  you  goin'  to  stay  ?" 

"  A  long  time,"  Rick  answered,  "  probably  a  year." 

"Well,  I   was   a-worryin'  and  worryin'  as   I   come 


220  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

along  for  fear  you  wouldn't  want  me.  But  mebby  the 
Lord  sent  me  arter  all.  Do  you  s'pose  I  kin  take  keer 
o'  the  house  while  you'm  away  ?" 

"  Of  course  you  can.  Mr.  White,  my  overseer,  will 
look  after  things  outside.  You  are  not  to  do  anything, 
mind  you,  but  look  after  the  things  in  the  house,  see 
that  the  negroes  are  quiet  and  have  all  they  need. 
No  one  in  the  world  can  do  it  as  well  as  you  can,  and 
I  am  very  thankful  you  came.  Our  friend,  the 
Senora  Castellar,  goes  with  us,  as  she  is  a  good  nurse 
and  understands  Spanish.  (This  was  put  in  from  a 
sudden  fear  that  Aunt  Nancy  would  insist  upon  going 
also.)  The  only  thing  is  that  you  may  sometimes  be 
lonesome " 

"  Lonesome  ?  Good  airth  !  with  all  them  niggers  ? 
Well,  I  never  !  The  only  thing  is,  if  1  kin  git  to 
stomache  'em.  Not  but  what  I  like  'em  and  want  'em 
to  hev  their  rights,  but  I  never  hed  none  on  'em  nigh 
me  afore." 

"Oh,  you  will  grow  accustomed  to  them,"  returned 
Rose,  "and  will  find  them  the  kindest  creatures  in  the 
world." 

"  I  s'pose  so." 

By  this  time  Aunt  Nancy  had  folded  her  shawl, 
spread  out  her  gloves  upon  it,  took  her  veil  off  her 
hat  and  smoothed  out  every  wrinkle.  There  were 
several  of  these  last  in  her  kindly  face. 

"  It  costs  a  heap  o'  money  to  go  to  Europe,  don't 
it?"  she  said,  as  she  turned  her  back  a  moment  while 
she  made  a  dive  for  something  hidden  away  in  the 
bosom  of  her  dress.  "  There  !"  she  exclaimed  at  last, 
"  is  a  couple  o'  hundred  dollars.  Mebbe  they  might 
come  handy  fer  you,  so  you'd  better  take  'em  along  o' 
you  when  you  go." 

She  produced  a  cheap  cotton  handkerchief,  which 
had  a  knot  tied  in  two  of  its  corners  over  what  ap 
peared  like  coins,  and  handed  it  to  Rick,  who  could 
not  help  taking  it,  for  the  woman's  face  was  all  aglow 
with  earnestness  and  kindness. 

"  You  dear  soul  !"  cried  Rose,  going  up  to  her  and 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  221 

with  an  effort  clasping  her  arms  about  Miss  Nancy's 
neck.  "  Oh,  you  dear,  dear  Aunt  Nancy  !"  and  she 
kissed  her  on  both  withered  cheeks. 

"  I  don't  begrudge  it,"  said  the  old  woman,  with 
tears  in  her  eyes.  "  It's  purty  nigh  all  I've  got  in  the 
world,  but  ef  goin'  to  Europe  '11  bring  the  roses  back 
to  your  face,  child,  I'll  be  paid  more'n  double  !" 

"Aunt  Nancy,"  said  Rick,  who  had  by  this  time 
recovered  speech,  "you  blessed  woman,  I  don't  need 
this  ;  but  I'll  take  it,  if  you  like,  and  invest  it  for  you.. 
I'm  what  the  world  calls  rich,  aunty — so  rich  I 
scarcely  know  how  to  spend  my  money.  And  you 
are  to  be  paid  a  salary — well,  we  will  say  five  hundred 
dollars  a  year  to  begin  with " 

"  I  knowed  it  !"  shouted  Aunt  Nancy  at  the  top  of 
her  voice.  "  I  knowed  you  was  the  generousest  man 
in  the  world.  I  telled  Mariar  so  that  time  you  went 
away  and  put  a  twenty  dollar  gold  piece  in  my  hand 
when  you  bid  me  good-by  !  And  that  identical 
twenty  dollar  piece  is  in  that  air  handkerchief  this 
minute  !" 

Mammy,  hearing  Aunt  Nancy  shrieking  at  the  top 
of  her  voice,  began  to  fear  a  quarrel  was  imminent, 
and  made  an  excuse  to  come  into  the  room.  She 
was,  therefore,  greatly  astonished  to  see  her  mistress 
enfolded  by  one  of  the  strange  woman's  long,  bony 
arms,  while  she  was  waving  the  other  up  and  down, 
and  gesticulating  wildly  at  the  same  time. 

"Here,  Mammy,"  said  Rose,  "this  is  Miss  Nancy, 
an  old  friend  who  has  come  to  remain  with  us  as  long, 
as  she  lives.  You  are  to  show  her  to  the  second 
room  in  the  wing  a^nd  make  her  as  comfortable  as  you 
can.  See  that  her  trunks  are  taken  in  at  once,  so  she 
can  unpack  her  things  as  soon  as  she  likes.  Bring 
her  a  cup  of  tea  and  a  lunch  as  soon  as  possible,  and 
see  that  she  lacks  for  nothing." 

"  Sartin,  missis,"  returned  Mammy,  dutifully,  but 
inwardly  wondering  whether  this  new  importation 
could  possibly  be  a  relative  of  her  refined  mistress. 

She  took  up  the  bonnet,  shawl  and  gloves,  called 


222  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

a  diminutive  darkey  who  put  her  head  inside  the 
door  to  take  the  band-box,  and  then  turned  to  Aunt 
Nancy. 

"  De  room  am  all  ready,  ma'am,"  she  said,  "an  if 
yo'll  foller  arter  I'll  show  you  de  way." 

Determined  not  to  appear  green,  Miss  Nancy  fol 
lowed  Mammy's  portly  form  to  the  door,  and  then 
turned  back  a  moment  to  speak  to  Rose. 

"  Land  o'  love  !"  she  exclaimed  in  what  was  meant 
to  be  a  whisper,  but  which  could  have  been  heard  all 
over  the  house,  "  ef  I  was  the  Queen  o'  Sheby  I 
couldn't  be  better  waited  on."  Then  she  started 
upon  a  half  run  to  follow  Mammy. 

The  hall  was  filled  with  small  fry  of  all  ages  and 
sizes,  and  Mammy  was  making  her  way  through  the 
crowd,  which  dodged  the  numerous  cuffs  she  attempted 
to  administer,  and  snickered  and  giggled  in  wonderful 
glee. 

"Claroutwid  yer  !  Hain't  ye  got  no  manners? 
Is  dat  de  way  Missis  leeched  ye  to  b'have  ?  Meliss  ! 
ef  de  Lo'd  spares  my  life  twell  I  git  a  raw-hide  I'll  lay 
it  ober  yer  brack  hide  twell  de  brud  runs  down  ter  ye 
heels  !" 

"  Ho  !  ho  !"  howled  Meliss  at  this  appaling  threat, 
which  did  not  seem  to  intimidate  her  in  the  least. 
"  He  !  he  !  ye  dassent  !  ye  dassent,  ole  Mammy  !" 

Mammy  made  a  dive  at  her,  having  at  this  moment 
been  reinforced  with  Miss  Nancy's  gingham  umbrella, 
which  one  of  the  larger  girls  had  slipped  into  her 
hand,  and  Meliss  disappeared,  still  howling,  through 
the  front  door.  At  this  the  parlor  door  opened  and 
Rick  came  quickly  out.  . 

'•  Clear  out !"  he  cried,  shaking  his  finger.  "  Leave 
the  house  every  one  of  you  and  don't  come  in  again 
to-day  unless  somebody  sends  you  !" 

Before  the  words  were  uttered  the  hall  was  cleared, 
the  giggling  crowd  rushing  out  in  hot  haste.  There 
were  one  or  two  falls  and  much  scrambling.  They 
did  not  stand  upon  the  order  of  their  going,  but  got 
out  at  once. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  22J 

"Land  o'  love!"  ejaculated  Miss  Nancy,  "won't 
they  ketch  cold  out  doors  all  the  rest  o'  the  day  ?" 

"Bless  you,  aunty,"  replied  Rick,  "  they  have  all 
got  little  cabins  of  their  own,  only  when  anything 
special  is  to  be  seen  at  the  house  they  always  visit  us 
in  a  body." 

"  Good  airth  !  hev  you  got  houses  fer  all  your  nig 
gers  besides  this  ?  And  don't  they  stay  here  all  the 
time  ?" 

"  No,  indeed  ;  we  always  send  them  out  in  a  hurry 
when  we  don't  want  them." 

Aunt  Nancy  gave  a  sigh  of  relief,  and  looked  like 
one  who  has  still  much  to  be  thankful  for. 

"Well,  raley,"  she  said,  "I  am  beat!"  And  for 
the  third  time  she  turned  to  follow  Mammy. 

"  Dey  is  sp'iled,  dat's  w'at  dey  is,"  said  Mammy. 
"  Dey  knows  Mas'r  Rick  won't  tech  'em,  an'  dey 
takes  disvantage." 

"Hump!"  said  Miss  Nancy.  "'Pears  to  me  they 
got  out  mighty  suddin  when  he  come  to  the  door, 
and  your  touchin'  'em  didn't  do  much  good  as  1  seen." 

Mammy  rolled  her  eyes  in  offended  astonishment. 

"I  do  s'pose  they  try  you,  though,"  said  Miss 
Nancy,  apologetically.  "I'm  sure  they'd  worry  me 
to  death's  door." 

"  'Deed  dey  would  !"  responded  Mammy,  somewhat 
mollified.  "  Dey  'most  worries  de  skin  offen  my  pore 
ole  bones  sometimes." 

Miss  Nancy  put  on  her  spectacles  and  took  a  good 
look  at  Mammy  through  them  out  of  her  keen  gray 
eyes. 

"Worritin'  seems  to  'gree  with  you,"  she  said. 
"Hovr  much  do  you  weigh?" 

This,  uttered  in  a  tone  so  loud  that  Rick  plainly 
heard  it,  as  he  stood  in  the  hall  giving  orders  about 
the  baggage,  rather  staggered  Mammy. 

"  I  reckon  I  weighs  radder  more  dan  you  does," 
she  replied,  as  soon  as  she  recovered  from  her  aston 
ishment,  eyeing  Miss  Nancy  in  turn. 

"  Yes,"  said  Miss   Nancy,  reflectively,   "  I 'spose  ye 


224  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

do.  I  guess  ef  we  was  shook  up  an'  averaged  we'd 
make  two  fair  sized  wimmen.  Ef  I  had  a  little  o' 
your  flesh  I  might  look  rather  plumper,  an'  you'd  be 
considerably  improved.  Can't  say,  though,  as  I'd  care 
fer  yer  complective." 

Mammy  scarcely  knew  whether  to  be  offended  or 
not,  and  wondered  more  than  ever  what  sort  of  a 
woman  this  could  be.  She  wasn't  like  Missis,  nor 
Miss  Rita,  nor  yet  "  ole  Missis,"  and  she  couldn't  be 
classed  "  wid  de  pore  white  trash  "  either.  Evidently 
no  offense  was  intended,  and,  after  deliberation, 
Mammy  concluded  to  take  none,  though  her  nimble 
tongue  for  once  was  effectually  silenced. 

"  What's  yer  name  ?"  was  Miss  Nancy's  next 
query. 

"  Mammy,"  was  the  response. 

"  Mammy  f"  returned  Miss  Nancy,  in  astonishment. 
"  Good  airth  !  Do  you  'spose  I'm  goin'  to  call  a  wo 
man  that's  ten  year  younger  than  me  Mammy,  an'  a 
nigger  at  that  ?  Lordy  massy  !  what  hev  I  come  to  !" 

"  Dey  is  a  good  many  white  wimmen  as  brack  as 
any  nigger  !"  exclaimed  Mammy,  now  thoroughly 
angry.  "  All  dey  needs  is  a  brack  hide  !" 

"Good  gracious!"  said  Miss  Nancy,  " that's  true 
enough.  But,  laws,  I  hadn't  no  idee  I  was  a-goin'  to 
rile  you  like  that.  I  didn't  mean  nothin',  I'm  sure. 
You're  jest  as  good  as  I  am,  I  don't  dispute  that,  only  it 
did  seem  rather  queer — a'most  disrespec'ful,  to  be  plain 
— to  call  a  young  woman  Mammy — me,  at  my  age  !" 

"  Why,  bress  yer  heart,  honey,"  replied  Mammy, 
more  than  mollified  at  being  called  a  young  woman, 
"  I  reckon  nuffin's  de  matter  'cept  you'n  me  didn't 
'stan  one  udder.  Dey  allus  calls  de  brack  woman  as 
nussels  de  chillen  'Mammy.'  Mas'r  Rick,  an'  Missis, 
an'  all  calls  me  dat,  yet  I  ain't  der  mammy  at  all." 

"  Oh,"  said  Miss  Nancy,  "  I  see.  Well,  Mammy, 
ef  you  nussed  Mr.  Consaulus  and  my  Rosy's  boy 
why  you  must  be  the  right  kind  of  a  woman.  I  hadn't 
no  idee  of  offendin'  you.  and  I  guess  you  know  it  by 
this  time." 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  225 

"  'Deed  I  does,"  said  Mammy.  "  An'  I  is  a-gwine 
dis  instance  minute  ter  get  yer  up  de  tastiest  lunch 
yer  eber  sot  mouf  to." 

By  this  time  a  stalwart  man  brought  in  Miss 
Nancy's  trunks,  and  Mammy  stopped  to  scold  him 
about  the  manner  in  which  he  placed  them,  and  then 
she  bustled  out. 

"  I  knowed  it,"  exclaimed  Miss  Nancy  the  moment 
she  was  left  alone,  as  she  seated  herself  in  a  chair  by 
the  window.  "I  knowed  it,"  she  repeated  to  herself 
confidentially,  though  in  so  loud  a  voice  that  all 
within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  range  must  have  heard, 
"  I  knowed  jest  as  well  as  I  knowed  I  was  a-livin' 
that  they'd  be  up  to  all  sorts  o'  heathenish  practices, 
but  I  never  did  consait  that  I'd  slip  into  'em  so  easy 
myself.  An'  yit  here  I  be,  a'most  afore  I've  got  my 
things  off,  a-callin'  of  a  nigger  wanch  Mammy !  I 
wonder  what  Filindy  Jane  Trotter  'd  say  to  that  ! 
There's  one  comfort,  though,  she'll  never  know  it 
'thout  she  comes  down  here  and  finds  me  out." 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

STRANGE      HEIRLOOMS. 

Dolores  remained  in  the  garden  with  the  two  chil 
dren  until  she  saw  that  Rose  was  left  alone,  then  she 
passed  little  Rose  and  Halbert  over  to  Tot  and  went 
in.  She  found  her  invalid  in  a  rather  exhausted  state 
after  her  interview  with  Miss  Nancy,  and  therefore, 
with  smiling  authority,  insisted  upon  her  lying  down 
immediately. 

"  I  am  tired,"  Rose  said.  "  Aunt  Nancy  is  one  of 
the  best  women  in  the  world.  Why,  Rita,  she  offered 
us  every  dollar  she  had  to  help  take  us  to  Europe, 
dear  soul  ;  but,  though  I  would  not  hurt  her  feelings 
for  the  world,  since  I  love  her  very  dearly,  your 
gentleness  is  very  grateful  to  me,  doubly  so  when 
contrasted  with  her  brusqueness.  Once  1  enjoyed  it 
heartily,  for  it  is  spirited  and  original  ;  but  I  am  afraid 


226  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

it  will  tire  me  now,  unless  you  can  devise  some  means 
to  protect  me  from  it.  Don't  think  me  peevish  and 
spoiled,  Rick,"  she  continued,  turning  to  him,  "  or 
that  I  fail  to  appreciate  Miss  Nancy's  goodness.  I 
was  touched  by  her  honest,  loving  offer  just  now,  but 
I  think  I  am  too  tired  for  much  excitement." 

"I  understand  you,  dear,"  he  said,  smiling,  "and 
I  am  sure  Rita  will  manage  it  all  for  us.  By  the  way, 
I  heard  her  just  now — I  mean  Miss  Nancy — object  to 
calling  Mammy  by  her  name.  I  suppose  she  will 
think  many  of  our  customs  outlandish,  and  she  may 
get  homesick.  I  do  want  very  much  to  make  her  feel 
at  home  with  us,  for  two  reasons.  She  is  almost 
homeless  and  it  would  be  hard  for  her  to  go  back  to 
her  brother's,  so  I  want  to  make  her  as  contented 
as  possible.  In  the  second  place,  she  will  prove 
invaluable  to  us  with  all  her  energy  and  goodness, 
and  will  care  conscientiously  for  our  people  while  we 
are  away." 

"  Perhaps  I  had  better  run  in  and  see  her,"  said 
Dolores.  "I  can  introduce  myself,  and  I  will  try  and 
make  myself  agreeable.  She  seemed  shocked  to  see 
so  many  little  folks,  and  it  is  all  so  new  to  her,  or  I 
imagine  it  must  be " 

"  It  is  as  different  as  possible  from  anything  she 
has  ever  seen,"  interrupted  R(  se.  "Why,  Rita,  im 
agine  a  woman  who  has  taken  full  charge  of  a  farm 
house  all  her  life,  doing  all  the  work,  who  has  scarcely 
ever  met  a  negro,  who  has  practiced  rigid  economy, 
with  never,  in  fact,  any  money  to  spend,  a  woman  to 
whom  traveling  is  a  terror,  and  being  away  from  home 
for  a  single  night  not  to  be  thought  of — imagine  her 
turned  away  from  her  home  at  her  age  !  For  it 
amounts  to  that,  as  I  know  she  would  not  leave  on 
slight  provocation.  She  comes  here  on  the  spur  of 
the  moment  and  finds  me,  whom  she  used  to  pet, 
only  a  weak  shadow  that  shrinks  from  the  sound  of 
her  voice.  It  is  really  dreadful  !  Do  go  to  her,  Rita, 
and  tell  her  for  me  how  glad  I  am  that  she  has  come, 
and  comfort  her  if  she  is  lonely." 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  221 

"  There,  there !"  said  Dolores,  gently,  for  Rose 
was  growing  almost  hysterical,  and  was  seized  with  a 
fit  of  coughing.  "  Now  you  must  lie  down  quietly 
and  take  a  nap.  I  will  go  and  make  Miss  Nancy's 
acquaintance." 

So  Rose  settled  back  upon  her  pillow  obediently, 
while  Rick  took  a  seat  beside  her,  and  Dolores,  cross 
ing  the  hall  and  the  dining-room,  tapped  softly  at 
Miss  Nancy's  door. 

For  once  Miss  Nancy  spoke  in  a  subdued  tone  as 
she  bade  her  visitor  enter.  The  thought  of  how 
Filindy  Jane  Trotter  might  regard  her  conduct  had 
led  the  forlorn  old  lady  into  a  rather  lachrymose  train 
of  reflections,  and  when  Dolores  entered  she  found 
her  mopping  her  face  and  blowing  her  nose  energeti 
cally  upon  her  cotton  pocket-handkerchief,  which, 
however,  was  snowy  white. 

"  Mrs.  Gonzales  has  told  me  all  about  you,"  said 
Dolores,  as  she  advanced  and  put  out  her  hand,  "and 
how  glad  she  is  to  have  you  here.  She  is  too  ill  to 
walk  much,  even  about  the  house,  and  she  cannot 
come  into  your  room  to  see  if  you  are  comfortable,  so 
she  has  sent  me  in  her  place." 

Miss  Nancy  rose,  her  eyes  and  nose  very  red,  and 
took  the  small  white  hand  Dolores  proffered  without 
a  word,  for  she  was  unable  to  speak. 

"  I  know  you  are  very  tired,"  continued  the  gentle 
voice.  "  You  are  quite  worn  out  with  your  journey, 
and  you  are  a  little — just  a  little — homesick,"  the  last 
uttered  with  a  smile. 

"  How  can  I  be  homesick  when  I  hain't  got  no 
home  ?"  queried  Miss  Nancy  in  a  quavering  voice, 
several  degrees  lower  than  she  was  wont  to  use. 

There  are  those  who  fancy  people  who  are  old  and 
ugly  have  no  right  to  show  grief,  and  can  only  tolerate 
tears  when  they  dim  the  eye  of  beauty.  Such  might 
have  been  excited  to  laughter  at  the  sight  of  this  oddly- 
dtessed,  ugly-featured  old  woman  in  tears,  but  Dolores 
was  not  one  of  these.  She  had  known  what  it  was  to 
be  homesick,  even  when  without  a  home,  and  her 


228  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

heart  went  out  in  tender  sympathy  for  this  lonely 
woman. 

"  I  know  what  it  is  to  feel  as  ypu  do,"  she  said, 
with  tears  in  her  beautiful  eyes  ;  "  but  do  not  grieve, 
in  a  little  while  you  will  be  quite  at  home  here  and 
happier  than  you  ever  were  in  your  life  before.  When 
you  grow  accustomed  to  the  ways  of  the  house  you 
will  like  it,  I  know,  for  every  one  who  comes  is  de 
lighted  with  Idlefield  before  leaving.  You  are  to 
make  it  your  home  for  life,  and  you  will  grow  to  love 
it  before  long.  I  must  now  make  you  more  com 
fortable.  In  the  first  place,  you  have  selected  the 
most  unpleasant  chair  in  the  room  to  sit  in  ;  then, 
your  eyes  are  all  inflamed  with  traveling  and  grieving, 
and  you  must  bathe  them  in  cool  water." 

So  saying,  Dolores  poured  out  some  water  for  her, 
and  Miss  Nancy  at  once  rose  and  mopped  her  face  well. 

"  It  does  feel  better,"  she  said,  as  she  sank  down 
in  the  easy  chair  Dolores  placed  for  her. 

"And  now,"  continued  Dolores,  "  I  will  brush  your 
hair  and  then  you  will  be  quite  ready  for  the  lunch 
Mandy  will  bring  you  presently." 

"  You  comb  my  hair  ?"  said  Miss  Nancy,  with  all 
her  old  vigor  of  speech. 

"  Certainly,"  with  a  kindly  smile,  "  unless  you  ob 
ject  to  it." 

Miss  Nancy  sprang  up  and  seized  the  comb,  and 
began  a  vigorous  raking — it  could  be  called  nothing 
else — of  her  hair. 

"  I  niver  could  make  it  look  han'some,"  she  said, 
"  but  mebby  it  won't  stan'  up  like  it  does  now.  No, 
child,  I'm  abler  to  do  it  than  you  air  fer  me,  but  I 
thank  you  kindly  all  the  same.  Set  down,  do  ;  you 
make  me  feel  to  hum  a'ready.  I  s'pose  you've  sot 
me  down  for  an  old  fool,  seein'  me  bellerin'  here  like 
a  sick  caff." 

Dolores  laughed. 

"  No,"  she  said,  "I  did  not.  It  does  us  good  to  cry 
a  little  once  in  a  great  while,  and  you  don't  do  it 
often,  I  know." 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  229 

"  My,  no,"  said  Miss  Nancy,  briskly  brushing  the 
stray  hairs  off  her  dress  and  settling  her  collar.  "  I 
guess  I'll  put  on  an  apurn,"  she  continued,  "for  fear 
o'  silin'  my  dress.  I've  got  one  in  the  bag  right  here, 
handy." 

She  drew  forth  a  gingham  apron — an  enormous 
plaid — and  tied  it  around  her  small  but  angular 
waist.  Dolores  put  the  prim  bonnet  and  shawl  in  a 
drawer,  and  set  out  a  small  table  to  be  ready  for  the 
luncheon. 

Mammy  herself  brought  it — a  bountiful  supply  of 
fried  chicken,  cold  sliced  bacon,  corn  bread,  a  cup  of 
tea  (hot  and  strong,  as  Miss  Nancy  liked  it),  and  a 
saucer  of  jelly.  It  was  soon  arranged,  and  Miss 
Nancy,  who  was  in  truth  hungry,  drew  up  at  the  first 
invitation  and  ate  with  a  keen  relish. 

"  My  !"  she  said,  as  soon  as  she  came  to  a  pause, 
"but  whoever  got  up  this  knowed  how  to  cook  vittles, 
that's  certain.  I  'spected,  with  Rose  sick,  Mr.  Con- 
saulus  would  hev  an  awful  time  about  his  meals." 

"  Oh,  no,"  returned  Dolores,  "  his  cook  is  a  famous 
one,  and  she  is  as  neat  as  wax.  To-morrow,  when 
you  are  rested,  I  must  take  you  out  and  show  you  her 
kitchen." 

"  Out,"  repeated  Miss  Nancy,  "  ain't  the  kitchen  in 
the  house  nuther?  Good  airth  !  how  do  they  bring 
the  vittles  in  when  it  rains  ?" 

"  They  manage  very  nicely,"  Dolores  replied, 
"  though  I  have  heard  Mrs.  Gonzales  say  they  had 
things  much  more  convenient  in  the  North."  And 
then,  remembering  she  had  heard  Rose  say  Miss 
Nancy  was  particularly  fond  of  tea,  she  sent  Mammy 
for  some  more. 

When  the  plates  had  been  pretty  well  polished,  and 
three  cups  of  tea  drank,  Miss  Nancy  expressed  her 
self  satisfied,  and  she  began  to  look  the  picture  of 
content.  Mammy  gathered  up  the  fragments  and 
went  out,  and  then  Dolores  asked  whether  her  guest 
preferred  to  take  a  short  nap  before  tea-time,  or  to 
unpack  her  trunks. 


230  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOHILITY. 

"I  niver  kin  sleep  in  the  day  time,"  Miss  Nancy 
said,  "an*  I  guess  I'll  go  to  work  an'  hustle  out  a 
few  o'  my  things.  I  don't  feel  tired  the  least  mite 
now." 

"  Shall  I  help  you  ?"  asked  Dolores,  "  or  would  you 
rather  be  alone  while  you  do  it  ?" 

"I'dunno,"  replied  the  old  lady,  rather  sheepishly. 
"  Filindy  Jane  helped  me  pack  up,  and  she  said  any 
body  would  laugh  ef  I  showed  'em  the  trash  I  brought  ; 
but  I  don't  b'lieve  you  would.  On  the  hull,  ef  you 
don't  mind,  I'd  like  to  hev  you  see  "em." 

"  Indeed,  I  don't  mind  at  all,''  said  Dolores,  kindly. 

"  I  knowed  you  wouldn't,"  replied  Miss  Nancy, 
confidently. 

"  I  want  to  run  out  one  moment  to  see  if  Rose  is 
asleep,"  said  Dolores,  "  and  then  I  will  come  back 
and  help  you  until  you  have  everything  done." 

The  quick  but  silent  footsteps  glided  through 
dining-room  and  hall,  the  drawing-room  door  was 
opened  noiselessly,  and  the  gentle  face  looked  within. 
Rose  was  asleep  and  Rick  4  nelly  reading,  and  laying 
her  finger  upon  her  lip  Dolores  vanished  and  retraced 
her  steps  to  Miss  Nancy's  room.  She  found  the  old 
lady  had  trunk  and  chest  unlocked,  and  out  of  the 
former  she  laid  a  slender  wardrobe  upon  the  bed. 
Dolores  took  the  dresses  and  hung  them  in  the  closet 
— two  ginghams,  one  dark  print,  all  as  clean  as  pos 
sible  ;  one  cotton  delaine  with  wide  stripes  and  gay 
colors,  and  a  cheap  black  silk  as  prim  in  fashion  as 
the  alpaca  Miss  Nancy  now  had  on.  Next  she  came 
to  some  plain,  coarse  underclothing,  which  was  white 
as  snow,  and  this,  with  two  or  three  aprons  and  two 
or  three  collars,  completed  the  contents  of  the  hair 
trunk. 

In  the  band-box  was  a  cotton -t  el  vet  bonnet  of 
ancient  shape,  a  big  turkey-feather  fan,  a  pair  of  black 
lace  mitts  and  a  roll  of  pieces  for  patchwork.  These 
Miss  Nancy  decided  to  leave  as  they  were,  so  Dolores 
placed  the  band-box  upon  the  closet  shelf  out  of 
harm's  way. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  231 

"  Your  things  are  very  neat,"  Dolores  ventured,  at 
last. 

"Yes,"  said  Miss  Nancy,  "that  is,  they  ain't  dirty, 
but  them  you've  seen  ain't  the  ones  Filindy  Jane  was 
oneasy  about.  I  'spect  nothin'  but  what  you'll  laugh, 
fer  mebbe  they  do  look  silly;  they  ain't  wuth  much,  I 
know.  But  some  on  'em  was  Mariar's  things,  and 
some  on  'em  was  my  sister's  that  died,  and  some 
I  hed  when  I  was  a  gal  myself,  an'  some  my  mother 
gin  me,  my  mother  thet  died  forty  year  ago.  I've 
kep'  'em  ever  sense,  an'  though  I  hed  to  pay  extry  for 
bringin'  'em,  I  didn't  begrudge  it,  I'm  sure.  I  couldn't 
leave  'em  nohow  in  the  world.  I've  worked  hard  all 
my  life  an'  hain't  got  no  money  hardly.  I  hain't  got 
nothin'  else  that  any  other  livin'  soul'd  want.  You 
see,  somehow,  all  my  days  other  folks  around  me  hes 
took  the  best  an'  left  the  leavins  for  me.  When 
my  mother  died  the  best  o'  her  things  my  sister  took; 
an'  when  my  sister  died  her  husban'  kept  the  best  o' 
'hem.  Even  poor  Mariar,  that  wanted  me  to  hev  her 
best  close,  want  paid  no  'tention  to  ;  my  brother  put 
away  everything  that  was  worth  hevin'  an'  only  left 
me  the  scraps.  But  I  couldn't  leave  'em,  though  I 
don't  'spose  a  tin-pedlar'd  a-gin  me  a  quart  basin  for 
the  lot." 

And  here  Miss  Nancy  raised  the  lid  and  began  to 
water  the  contents  of  the  trunk  with  her  tears. 

"  Perhaps,"  suggested  Dolores,  "you  would  rather 
not  show  them  to  me  to-day.  If  you  are  too  tired  let 
us  wait  till  to-morrow. 

"  No,"  she  answered,  wiping  away  her  tears  upon 
her  apron  in  a  resolute  way,  as  if  determined  to  never 
shed  another  in  her  life,  "  I  'spect  you'll  think  me  an 
old  fool — mebbe  you'll  call  me  one-— but  I  want  to 
hev  it  over  with  and  then  I'll  feel  better." 

Even  though  prepared  by  Miss  Nancy's  explana 
tion — which  touched  her  from  its  faithful  earnestness 
— for  beholding  a  medley  of  useless  things,  to  say 
that  Dolores  was  surprised  at  the  articles  brought 
forth  from  the  green  chest  would  illy  express  her 


232  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

feelings.  But  the  more  her  astonishment  grew  the 
more  her  heart  went  out  in  sympathy  for  this  lonely 
woman,  who  treasured  such  a  motley  collection  of 
worthless  objects  solely  because  they  had  once  been 
worn  or  touched  by  those  she  had  loved  and  lost. 

There  were  parasol  frames  with  steeple  tops  ;  the 
covers  were  either  in  rags  or  wanting  altogether. 
There  were  pocket  knives  without  blades,  combs 
without  teeth,  cracked  perfumery  bottles,  school 
books  with  scribbled  covers  and  only  a  few  remaining 
dog-eared  leaves.  There  were  worn  gloves  with  and 
without  mates,  baby  caps  yellow  with  age,  fancy  paper 
boxes  with  broken  covers,  old  letters,  old  newspapers 
containing  the  marriage  or  death  of  friends,  a  plaid 
silk  dress  ancient  in  style  and  worn  to  rags,  a  cotton 
lace  mantilla — in  short,  the  collection  was  as  worth 
less  as  possible,  and  could  only  have  been  prized  from 
association,  or  because  the  articles  had  been  owned, 
worn  or  used  by  those  who  had  been  so  fortunate  as 
to  be  Ipved  faithfully  by  the  desolate  old  creature, 
who  treasured  the  meanest  thing  their  hands  had 
touched  and  held  their  memory  sweet. 

Dolores  watched  as  Miss  Nancy  spread  out  the 
things  to  her  view,  but  to  her  there  was  nothing 
ludicrous  in  the  sight. 

"  If  some  one — if  even  a  dog — could  have  loved  me 
so,  how  thankful  I  would  be,"  she  thought.  "  I, 
whose  husband  sought  to  kill  me,  and  then  to  sell  me 
into  what  must  have  been  life-long  prostitution  ;  I, 
who  am  cared  for  by  Rick  in  deference  to  his  father's 
memory,  and  by  Rose  out  of  the  gentleness  of  a  heart 
which  is  tender  and  loving  toward  all  God's  creatures. 
We  are  all  ready  enough  to  treasure  rich  heirlooms, 
but  if  I  died  to-night  who  would  care  to  keep  any 
thing  which  had  been  mine  solely  for  my  sake  ?  And 
yet  have  I  not  encountered  much  sweet  with  the  bitter 
in  my  life  ?  Who  could  have  been  more  loving  and 
kind  than  Tot  and  Sue  ?  '  Greater  love  hath  no  man 
than  this,  that  he  lay  down  his  life  for  another.'  Ah, 
Sue,  no  one  could  have  been  more  loving  than  you  ! 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  233; 

But  you  are  dead,  and  the  friends  this  faithful  woman 
loved  so  fondly  are  dead  also.  No,  such  love  is  sel 
dom  vouchsafed  to  mortals  except  for  a  short  season  ; 
and  when  it  does  spring  to  life  in  some  exceptionally 
noble  human  breast,  death  comes  in  and  takes  the 
giver  or  the  receiver,  leaving  the  other  desolate.  I 
fear,  daily,  something  may  occur  to  take  Tot  from  me. 
Yet  I  am  wicked  to  allow  such  thoughts  to  burthen 
my  mind,  for  God  has  been  so  good  to  me." 

Tears  of  sympathy  and  regret  gathered  in  her  eyes 
and  dropped  over  her  cheeks,  and  they  forged  the 
first  link  in  the  chain  of  friendship  which  held  these 
two  women — so  unlike  in  all  but  desolation — in  affec 
tionate  bonds  until  death. 

Miss  Nancy  watched  the  sad  face  keenly,  and 
seeing  in  it  sympathy  and  gentle  sorrow  only  where 
she  had  half  expected  scorn,  spoke  very  gently  for 
her : 

"I  forgot,"  she  said  ;  "mebbe  I've  harrered  up  yer 
feelin's,  fer  you  do  look  as  ef  you'd  hed  trouble  o'  yer 
own.  But  I  knowed  it — I  knowed  you  wouldn't 
laugh,  bless  yer  dear  heart !  It's  no  wonder  fer  me 
to  be  lonesome,  but  you  air  a  purty  creeter,  an'  you 
oughter  be  happy.  I  know  yer  good — I  knowed  it 
the  minit  I  seen  you  wouldn't  make  fun  of  a  cur'ous, 
humbly  old  woman  an'  her  whims." 

"Make  fun  of  you?"  Dolores  said  in  surprise. 
"  Ah,  no,  it  only  touches  me  to  think  how  dearly  you 
must  have  loved  your  friends." 

At  this  moment  there  was  a  patter  of  childish  foot 
steps  in  the  nursery,  which  was  the  next  room,  and 
two  confident,  imperious  voices  called  for  mamma 
and  "  Aunt  Wita." 

Dolores  turned  to  the  door  in  answer  to  the  chil 
dren's  call.  Thinking  it  might  serve  to  divert  her 
guest  from  sad  thoughts  she  brought  the  children  in,, 
leading  them  each  by  the  hand. 

"  Children,"  she  said,  "  this  is  Aunt  Nancy,  whom 
you  will  love  very  dearly,  I  know.  This,"  she  added, 
taking  the  boy  by  the  hand,  "  is  liuie  Halbert,  Rick'?- 


234  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

only  child.  Go  and  kiss  aunty,  Hal,"  coaxingly  to 
the  child. 

"  No,  not  aunty  't  all.  Hal  don't  yike  bad  aunty !" 
exclaimed  the  little  rebel,  shaking  his  head. 

"  He's  a  nice  little  feller,"  said  Aunt  Nancy,  "  but 
he  don't  like  the  looks  o'  me  yit." 

At  this  baby  Rose,  who  was  quite  as  gentle  and 
sympathetic  as  her  mother,  looking  with  her  great 
childish  eyes  past  the  awkward  dress  and  manner  of 
the  stranger  into  the  homely  face  with  the  trace  of 
tears  still  upon  it,  came  forward  and  clasped  her  arms 
about  Aunt  Nancy's  neck. 

"Me  yike  she,"  she  said.  "Wose  yike  aunty  a 
hunned  bussels." 

Miss  Nancy  caught  the  child  in  her  arms,  kissing 
it  again  and  again,  and  when  little  Rose  was  released 
she  turned,  girl-like,  to  cast  a  condescending  look 
upon  Hal,  who  appeared  quite  astonished,  as  if  to  say, 
"See  what  you  missed  and  I  have  gained." 

"  It  is  my  child,"  Dolores  said  with  a  smile,  proudly 
hastening  to  proclaim  her  proprietorship,  after  the 
manner  of  fond  mothers. 

"  I  knowed  it,"  exclaimed  Miss  Nancy  in  her  old 
war-whoop  style.  "  I  knowed  it,  for  I  declare  to 
massy  she's  the  purtiest  thing  I  ever  sot  eyes  on  to." 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

LIVING,     VET      DEAD. 

The  political  horizon  was  as  darkly  clouded  as  ever 
when,  in  the  following  May,  Rick,  Rose,  Dolores,  the 
two  children  and  Tot  set  out  for  New  York  to  visit 
Mrs.  Beale,  a  short  time  before  sailing  for  Europe. 
Seward  was  talked  of  as  the  next  Republican  candi 
date  for  President,  and  among  the  Democrats  it  was 
plain  to  be  seen  that  there  would  be  a  serious  division 
of  the  party.  This  division  was  chiefly  clue  to  the 
acts  of  President  Buchanan  when  he  entered  the 
White  House  three  years  before.  The  President  was 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN     NOBILITY.  235 

jealous  of  Douglas  and  his  influence,  as  it  had  been 
a  matter  of  doubt  whether  he  would  not  receive  the 
nomination  in  Buchanan's  stead  at  the  time  of  the 
previous  Presidential  campaign.  Douglas  did  receive 
the  largest  number  of  votes  in  the  Convention  next 
to  Buchanan,  and,  after  the  latter  was  nominated  and 
elected  President,  it  was  expected,  as  is  the  usual 
custom  in  such  cases,  that  he  would  tender  Douglas 
the  position  of  Secretary  of  State,  conciliating  him 
and  his  friends,  and  thus  heal  the  political  ulcer. 
Buchanan  was  too  selfish  and  headstrong  to  perform 
this  act  of  mere  justice,  and,  instead,  he  unearthed 
General  Cass,  who,  though  a  gentleman,  no  doubt, 
had  little  in  any  way  to  recommend  him  for  the  posi 
tion.  The  result  was  that  Douglas,  being  left  out  in 
the  cold  and  feeling  that  he  had  been  wrongly  treated, 
followed  a  course  which  led  to  a  decided  break  in  the 
Democratic  party. 

It  was,  therefore,  evident  that  now  another  Presi 
dential  campaign  was  at  hand  the  Douglas  wing  of 
the  Democracy  would  persist  in  nominating  their 
leader  as  the  next  candidate,  while  the  other  wing, 
which  comprised  nearly  all  the  most  bitter  advocates 
of  slavery,  would  nominate  a  man  of  their  own  ilk. 

Rick,  having  foreseen  this,  could  not  help  being 
glad  of  Buchanan's  course,  for  it  would  tend  to  make 
the  Republican  victory  more  certain.  Still,  as  he 
said  when  he  went  away,  his  vote  in  his  own  State 
would  amount  to  nothing,  and  his  example  of  leniency 
toward  his  slaves  only  tended  to  make  his  neighbors 
more  harsh  with  theirs,  as  if  in  revenge.  Besides,  he 
felt  his  wife's  health  was  more  precious  to  him  than  all 
else,  and,  therefore,  he  left  the  country  with  few  regrets. 

Miss  Nancy  had  borne  up  bravely  through  all  the 
period  of  preparation  for  the  journey.  She  even  sub 
mitted  to  having  her  black  silk  made  over  into 
modern  style,  and  a  few  other  trifling  alterations 
made  in  her  wardrobe.  Dolores  was  obliged  to  lay 
aside  black,  for  Rose  vehemently  declared  it  made 
her  low-spirited  to  see  her  appear  so  sombre. 


236  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN     NOBILITY. 

When  the  time  for  their  departure  drew  near  Miss 
Nancy's  face  grew  very  grave,  and  the  morning  they 
went  away  she  bade  them  good-bye  in  tears,  the  first 
she  had  shed  since  her  arrival.  She  was  now  quite 
contented  at  Idlefield.  She  soon  became  accustomed 
to  the  negroes,  taking  a  great  interest  in  the  little 
ones,  thereby  winning  the  hearts  of  their  parents. 
She  and  Mandy  were  upon  the  best  of  terms,  for,  be 
ing  a  good  cook  herself,  she  could  appreciate  Mandy's 
accomplishments  in  that  line,  and  as  her  thoughts 
and  opinions  were  never  a  matter  of  surmise  to  those 
•who  knew  her,  on  account  of  her  habit  of  plain  speak 
ing.  Mandy  was  fully  aware  of  the  estimate  Miss  Nancy 
held  of  her  ability,  and  was  gracious  accordingly. 

Moreover,  she  was  delighted  with  the  idea  of  being 
left  in  charge  of  such  a  fine  old  place — the  fact 
showed  her  that  Rick  held  a  high  opinion  of  her 
capability  and  honesty,  and  she  meant  that  his  confi 
dence  should  not  be  misplaced.  As  soon  as  she  was 
left  alone  she  took  a  survey  of  everything,  and  find 
ing  all  was  as  it  should  be — the  negroes  respectful 
and  diligent,  the  overseer  inclined  to  be  friendly,  and 
the  whole  place  in  perfect  order  and  thorough  repair 
— she  sat  down  to  write  a  labored  epistle  to  her  old 
friend,  Filindy  Jane  Trotter,  giving  her  a  glowing 
account  of  Idlefield,  and  not  forgetting  to  add  that 
the  sole  charge  of  the  house  and  women-slaves  was 
left  in  her  hands,  and  she  was  growing  rich  from  the 
salary  she  received  for  attending  to  it. 

This  letter  was  a  subject  of  astonishment  to  Filindy 
Jane,  and  she  proceeded  to  spread  the  news  far  and 
near  through  the  neighborhood,  in  order  that  all 
might  wonder  with  her,  and  Mr.  Bailey  might  know 
what  a  prize  he  had  lost.  By  this  time,  however,  he 
had  discovered  it  himself,  his  young  wife  having 
proved  anything  but  a  good  housekeeper,  and,  as  she 
was  tired  of  housework,  she  suggested  to  her  husband 
it  might  be  well  to  write  Nancy  and  say  they  had 
made  up  their  minds  to  forgive  and  forget,  and  were 
willing  for  the  prodigal  to  return. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  237 

Such  a  letter,  in  fact,  had  been  dispatched  to  Miss 
Nancy,  and  when,  a  day  or  two  later,  Mrs.  Potter 
impartod  the  news  of  Nancy's  immense  success  they 
came  to  the  conclusion  that,  since  their  feminine 
prodigal  was  feeding  upon  the  fat  of  the  land  instead 
of  husks,  it  was  not  probable  that  she  would  willingly 
return,  a  conclusion  that  ultimately  proved  correct. 

The  letter  produced  a  sensation  in  the  neighbor 
hood  in  a  far  different  way,  for  when  it  became  noised 
about  that  Miss  Nancy  was  growing  rich,  nearly  every 
man  and  woman  who  had  failed,  through  laziness  and 
neglect,  to  obtain  a  respectable  living  were  of  the 
opinion  that  the  best  thing  they  could  do  was  to  go 
and  join  Miss  Nancy  at  once.  This  greatly  alarmed 
Filindy  Jane,  until  she  chanced  to  reflect  that,  since 
they  had  never  yet  allowed  one  dollar  to  overtake 
another  in  their  pockets,  it  was  quite  improbable  that 
they  would  ever  be  able  to  raise  funds  for  the  journey. 

Our  travelers,  being  ready,  were  glad  to  go.  Dolores, 
with  a  settled  melancholy  in  her  heart,  which,  how 
ever,  she  never  allowed  to  interfere  with  her  cheerful 
ness  when  in  the  society  of  others,  hailed  a  change  of 
scene,  hoping  it  might  ease  a  little  the  burthen  her 
heart  labored  under,  and  hoping,  too,  Rose  might  win 
a  new  lease  of  life.  Rick,  disgusted  with  his  country, 
yet,  with  all  her  faults,  loving  her  too  much  to  wish  to 
see  her  come  to  harm,  and  feeling  he  could  not  bene 
fit  any  one  by  tarrying,  left  few  regrets  behind.  Rose 
looked  hopefully  toward  the  future,  happy  in  the  love 
of  her  husband,  her  child  and  Dolores,  too  weak  to 
plan  much  or  look  far  forward,  yet  fearing  nothing. 

Mrs.  Beale  welcomed  them  all  warmly.  She  told 
Dolores  she  felt  she  was  already  her  friend,  since  Rose 
had  spoken  so  constantly  of  her  when  writing.  She 
plainly  saw  that  Rose  was  too  weak  to  survive  any 
violent  political  strife  brought  near  her,  and  felt  the 
step  Rick  was  taking  was  most  judicious. 

They  arrived  in  the  morning  and  after  lunch  they 
were  all  seated  in  the  drawing-room  :  Dolores  in  an 
easy-chair  by  the  window,  looking  thoughtfully  out  at 


238  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

the  passers  by ;  Rick  in  the  opposite  window,  seem 
ing  occupied  with  the  same  pastime  ;  Rose  reclining 
upon  a  lounge  and  her  aunt  near  her. 

The  last  two  were  engaged  in  conversation  between 
themselves,  and  Rick  had  only  spoken  once  to  Dolores, 
saying  he  wished  her  to  mark  the  workings  of  a  model 
Northern  household,  when  a  remark  of  Mrs.  Beale's 
caused  them  both  to  start. 

"  Do  you  hear  often  from  Alfred  Hastings  ?"  she 
asked  Rose,  in  her  quiet  voice. 

Glancing  to  the  opposite  window  Rick  saw  a  faint 
tinge  of  color  creep  into  Dolore's  face. 

"  No,  aunt,"  Rose  answered,  "  we  never  hear  from 
him  now." 

"  I  had  a  letter  from  him  a  few  days  since,"  Mrs. 
Beale  continued,  "  and  I  was  somewhat  surprised  at 
the  information  it  contained.  He  has  recently  mar 
ried  the  second  time." 

"  Married  !"  cried  Rick,  springing  to  his  feet  sud 
denly,  and  then  remembering  himself  he  quite  as. 
abruptly  sat  down. 

Mrs.  Beale  laughed. 

"  Rick  has  never  forgiven  him,  I  see,"she  said  ;  and, 
turning  to  Rose,  she  fancied  her  niece  was  greatly 
excited  also,  more  so,  in  fact,  than  the  case  required. 

Dolores  sat  quite  still  in  her  chair.  The  faint  red 
went  out  of  her  cheeks  and  a  deathly  palor  crept  into 
them  instead.  She  set  her  teeth  and  braced  her  nerves, 
clasping  the  arms  of  her  chair  for  a  moment,  then  her 
hold  relaxed,  her  head  drooped  forward  upon  her 
breast,  and  her  body  swayed  as  though  she  were 
about  to  fall. 

Rick  waited,  seeing  her  battle  against  this  faintness, 
yet  he  made  no  movement  to  relieve  her,  knowing  she 
most  desired  to  pass  through  the  ordeal  without 
attracting  Mrs.  Beale's  attention  ;  but  when  he  saw 
she  was  about  to  fall  forward  he  sprang  and  caught 
her  in  his  arms,  bearing  her  to  the  couch  Rose  had 
that  moment  vacated,  for  she  was  struck  with  a  fear 
for  Dolores  as  soon  as  the  announcement  was  made. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  239 

Mrs.  Beale  could  not  resist  a  feeling  of  surprise, 
but  she  was  too  polite  to  express  it.  She  ran  for 
restoratives,  and  as  soon  as  Dolores  recovered  con 
sciousness  she  left  the  room,  under  a  pretext  of  bring 
ing  a  strengthening  draught,  but  in  reality  to  give 
them  time  for  a  few  words  together. 

"Rita,"  said  Rose,  gently,  "we  can  trust  Aunt 
Sarah.  Let  us  tell  her,  for  some  time  you  may  need 
a  lady  friend." 

"  As  you  wish,"  Dolores  answered.  She  could 
deny  Rose  nothing,  especially  since  she  now  alluded, 
for  the  first  time,  to  the  possibility  of  being  herself 
called  away.  "  I  do  not  think  it  best  for  the  dead 
to  come  back  to  life  again — at  least  the  unloved 
dead — and  I  have  been  dead  to  all  in  this  world  but 
Rick,  and  you,  and  Tot  for  years,"  she  added.  "  I 
have  sometimes  thought  I  would  like  to  go  back  to 
Riverton  in  disguise  to  visit  my  own  tombstone  and 
read  the  inscription,  and  to  hear  how  those  who  knew 
me  once  would  speak  of  me  now,  but  until  this  mo 
ment  I  never  fully  realized  how  utterly  dead  I  was. 
Oh,  Rick,  from  the  very  first  we  were  wrong  ;  but 
you  were  bent  upon  vengeance  and  I  to  escape  from 
slavery  at  any  cost !" 

"You  were  not  wrong,"  he  said  quickly.  "It  was 
my  fault  from  first  to  last,  but  its  penalty  has  been 
inflicted  upon  you.  I  have  tried  to  atone  by  my 
kindness  to  you  since  your  return,  but  there  is  so 
little  I  can  do  in  a  case  like  this." 

"You  have  done  everything!"  she  cried,  "you  and 
dear  Rose  ;  and  I  have  been,  in  spite  of  fate,  almost 
happy  at  times.  But  I  did  not  think  of  aiding  Alfred 
in  committing  another  crime.  I  thought  since  he 
could  not  be  sure  I  was  dead  he  would  fear  to  marry 
again.  If  I  live  my  life  out,  making  no  sign,  will  it 
matter,  since  his  new  wife  will  never  know  she  is 
no  wife  at  all  ?  Or  ought  I — must  I — make  myself 
known  ?" 

For  a  moment  both  were  silent,  but,  hearing  a  foot 
step,  Rose  said, 


240  SU1JDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

"Let  us  ask  advice  of  Aunt  Sarah." 

Without  answering  Dolores  rose  and  met  Mrs. 
Beale  as  she  entered  the  door. 

"  I  am  Dolores,"  she  said,  "  Alfred  Hastings'  wife, 
whom  he  chooses  to  consider  dead.  Rick  will  tell 
you  the  story,  and  then,  if  you  please,  we  would  like 
your  advice." 

Mrs.  Beale  put  down  the  glass  of  cordial  she  held,, 
and,  approaching  Dolores,  she  took  her  pale  face  in 
her  hands  and  kissed  it  gently,  but  warmly. 

"Go  up  to  your  room,  dear,"  she  said,  "and  lie 
down.  Here,  drink  this  first.  I  will  come  up  and  see 
you  by  and  by." 

Dolores  did  as  she  was  bidden,  and  an  hour  later 
Mrs.  Beale  looked  quietly  in  upon  her. 

"Come  in,  please,"  Dolores  said,  "and  tell  me 
what  I  must  do." 

Sitting  down  by  the  bedside  she  took  one  of  the 
slender  hands  in  her  own. 

"Your  wish,"  she  said,  smoothing  the  hair  away 
from  Dolores'  forehead,  "  is  to  go  on  as  you  are  now, 
and  let  no  one  know  you  are  living." 

"  It  is  my  wish,"  Dolores  answered,  "but  I  will  do 
whatever  you  think  right." 

"  It  is  very  hard  to  judge  in  such  a  case,"  said  Mrs. 
Beale,  "  and  I  am  not  sure  of  being  right;  still,  since  the 
wrong  is  done,  it  may  be  best  to  go  on  as  you  are 
now.  Rick  is  more  than  willing  to  care  for  you  all 
your  life,  and  to  provide  for  your  child.  He  thinks 
if  he  were  to  write  Alfred  the  truth  he  would  either 
seek  a  quiet  divorce  from  you  or  engage  some  spy  to 
dog  your  footsteps  and  murder  you.  He  has  plenty 
of  money  to  do  this,  as  his  wife  is  an  heiress.  As  you 
are  now,  you  are  safe  from  him.  Even  if  the  truth 
were  known,  those  who  were  so  ready  to  flatter  you  and 
accord  to  you  the  homage  you  richly  won  from  them 
while  known  as  Alfred  Hastings'  wife  would  hold  up- 
their  hands  in  holy  horror  and  say  any  act  of  his  by 
which  he  rid  himself  of  you  was  simple  justice." 

"  I  am  quite  sure  of  that.     And  since  both  he  and 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  241 

I  have  everything  to  lose  by  my  coming  back  to  life 
again,  it  is  better  for  me  to  remain,  as  he  hopes  I  am, 
dead." 

"I  want  to  assure  you  of  one  thing,"  said  Mrs. 
Beale,  "and  then,  if  you  are  able,  come  down  with 
me  where  you  will  have  no  time  to  brood  over  un 
pleasant  thoughts.  While  Rose  lives  you  will  never 
need  a  friend.  It  is  her  wish — for  she  said  so  only  a 
few  moments  since — if  she  dies  for  you  to  remain 
with  Rick  and  care  for  her  child,  at  least  until  he  is 
grown  ;  but  if  anything  chances  to  ever  make  Rick's 
home  unpleasant  to  you — not  that  I  doubt  him,  but 
changes  might  occur — in  that  place  you  must  come  to 
me.  I  will  give  you  a  home,  if  my  life  is  spared,  and 
will  help  you  in  any  way  in  my  power." 

"  How  can  I  thank  you  ?"  Dolores  said,  the  tears 
springing  in  her  beautiful  eyes.  "It  is  so  good  of 
you  to  offer  this — so  very,  very  good  !  and  espe 
cially  when  you  know  of  my  origin.  But  ah  !  what  a 
strange  life  mine  has  been.  Life  did  I  say  ?  I  have 
already  lived  two  lives,  and  now  I  am  dead.  First  I 
was  a  slave,  and  then  I  began  a  new  life  as  a  happy, 
honored  wife.  These  lives  were  as  far  divided  from 
each  other  as  light  and  darkness,  as  life  and  death. 
And  now  my  epitaph  has  been  carved  for  several 
years  upon  a  tombstone,  and  I  am  hiding  away  from 
all  who  ever  knew  me  before.  I  could  never  prove 
that  Alfred  tried  to  murder  me,  because  poor  Sue  is 
dead,  and,  even  if  living,  her  testimony  would  not  be 
heard  in  a  court  of  justice — a  court  of  justice,  my 
friend  ! — so  it  is  better  for  me,  since  I  live  in  this 
free  United  States  of  America — it  is  better  for  all — 
that  I  am  dead." 

Our  European  travelers  had  made  a  successful  trip 
across  the  Atlantic,  and  had  visited  the  greater  part  of 
Northern  Europe  before  the  great  political  struggle 
came  off  which  placed  Abraham  Lincoln  at  the  head 
of  the  Republican  party  and  the  prospective  Com- 
mander-in-Chief  of  the  Army  and  Navy  of  this 
glorious  Republic.  Rick  watched  the  news  columns- 


^4-  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

of  the  European  papers  and  read  them  with  a  thirst 
for  more  beyond  description.  He  felt  a  longing  to 
know  how  Idlefield  and  his  people  would  be  treated 
in  case  of  a  civil  war  between  the  North  and  South 
and  himself  absent.  In  fact,  he  knew  the  feeling  in 
his  own  immediate  neighborhood  was  much  stronger 
against  him  and  his  new  views  on  politics  than  he  was 
willing  to  admit  to  others,  therefore  this  uneasiness. 

After  the  election,  and  before  the  inauguration  day 
ihe  following  March,  everything  looked  dark.  The 
war  storm  was  gathering  slowly  but  surely,  and  while 
our  travelers  abroad  did  not  so  fully  realize  this  as 
those  at  home,  they,  too,  had  forebodings  of  what 
was  in  store  for  their  people  at  Idlefield. 

The  Southern  papers  were  full  of  buncombe  say 
ings  as  to  what  they  would  do  in  case  Abraham  Lin 
coln  attempted  to  take  his  seat  in  the  Presidential 
chair.  Meanwhile  Secretary-of-War  Thompson  was 
quietly  slipping  all  the  muskets  South  that  he  could 
move  without  raising  suspicion,  and,  as  almost  every 
Northern  man  afterward  knew,  President  Buchanan 
winked  at  it.  Thus,  when  the  time  came  for  the 
President-elect  to  go  to  Washington  to  assume  the 
position  of  head  of  the  government,,  he  found  plots 
had  been  formed  to  abduct  him  before  he  could  reach 
there.  In  this  way  it  was  hoped  to  get  rid  of  him, 
and,  if  possible,  seize  the  Capitol,  government  fund^, 
and  other  important  departments,  and  turn  them  over 
into  the  hands  of  the  revolutionary  Southern  party. 
The  plot  failed,  and  the  President-elect,  disguised, 
reached  Washington  in  safety,  and  was  duly  inaugu 
rated  in  accordance  with  the  usual  custom.  He  ad 
vanced  steadily  to  his  duties  amid  much  adverse 
counsel  and  many  deadly  threats  from  the  South,  all 
of  which  fell  harshly  on  his  ears,  but  which  met  as 
strong,  honest,  brave  and  loyal  a  heart  as  ever  beat  in 
a  human  breast ! 

It  was  not  until  April  of  the  same  year  that  the 
sons  of  "  Southern  Nobility,"  as  they  were  pleased  to 
call  themselves,  planted  their  batteries  in  position  to 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  243 

reduce  Fort  Sumter,  in  Charleston  Harbor.  The 
telegrams  gave  notice  of  the  dastardly  act  in  the  most 
remote  parts  of  the  country,  and  the  hearts  of  every 
Northern  man  beat  in  unison  for  war,  and  nothing 
short  of  absolute  subjection  to  the  will  of  the  Ameri 
can  people  would  be  accepted  either.  If  the  Presi 
dent  had  asked  for  a  million  volunteers  instead  of 
the  number  his  proclamation  afterward  called  for, 
they  could  have  been  secured  as  readily. 

On  the  25th  of  the  same  month  the  President 
issued  his  proclamation  calling  on  the  several  loyal 
States  to  send  forward  their  respective  quotas  of 
seventy-five  thousand  troops  to  suppress  the  rebel 
lion,  then  actively  gathering  force  in  every  part  of 
the  South,  which  was  done  in  the  course  of  a  few 
days  and  with  great  enthusiasm. 

Never  was  such  a  state  of  affairs  in  America  be 
fore.  The  news  went  to  foreign  lands  and  was  greedily 
devoured  by  Americans  abroad,  and  among  the  num 
ber  none  read  it  with  more  earnestness  than  did  Rick 
and  those  of  his  immediate  family.  For  three  years 
the  war  grew  more  and  more  fierce,  until  General 
Sherman  took  command  in  the  South-west  and 
General  Grant  near  Richmond,  when  there  seemed  to 
be  some  early  prospects  of  the  end  being  near  at  hand. 
The  emancipation  proclamation  had  been  issued.  It 
was  then  a  subject  of  much  conjecture  as  to  what 
would  be  the  best  policy  to  pursue  toward  the  col 
ored  people  they  set  free.  Rick  had  fully  made  up 
his  mind  as  to  what  he  would  do  on  his  return  home. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

NOT    IN    VAIN. 

More  than  three  years  have  passed,  yet  Rick  and 
Rose  linger  in  foreign  climes — Rose,  because  life 
seems  too  sweet  to  be  given  up  without  a  struggle, 
and  Rick  because  he  knows  his  wife  will  never  see  her 
native  land  again,  and  an  attempt  to  journey  thither 


244  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

would  only  cause  the  faint,  flickering  lamp  of  her  frail 
life  to  go  out  upon  this  world  forever  that  much 
sooner. 

Every  health-giving  spring  in  Central  and  Southern 
Kurope  have  been  visited,  in  the  hope  of  finding  heal 
ing  in  the  waters,  but  no  permanent  balm  has  been 
found.  Sometimes  a  temporary  improvement  in  her 
health  gave  birth  to  a  new  hope  in  the  breasts  of  her 
friends,  who  loved  Rose  so  devotedly,  that  at  last  for 
her  the  elixir  of  life  had  been  found  ;  but  this  hope 
soon  died  out,  when  a  relapse  told  all  too  plainly  that 
she  could  only  hope  for  temporary  relief.  So  they 
wander  hither  and  thither — to  Dieppe,  Cannes,  Baden- 
Baden,  Wiesbaden,  Ems,  at  Varenna,  on  the  eastern 
shore  of  Lake  Como,  Bavano,  near  the  lovely  Italian 
lakes,  Florence,  Naples,  and  at  last  there  comes  an 
autumn-time  when  Rose,  unable  to  leave  her  bed,  can 
travel  no  more. 

It  finds  them  in  Rome,  and  they  have  taken  up 
their  temporary  abode  in  a  half-decayed  but  grand 
old  palace,  up  one  flight  of  marble  steps  ;  and  there, 
entering  a  lofty  apartment  through  a  doorway  framed 
in  sculptured  marble,  we  find  the  little  family  waiting 
an  opportunity  to  return  to  their  American  home. 

Rose,  as  usual,  is  reclining  upon  her  couch  and 
Dolores  is  hovering  near  her.  Rick  is  busy  with 
American  papers,  chiefly  from  New  York,  for  he  has 
faithfully  followed  the  course  of  events  in  his  native 
land  during  the  period  of  his  long  exile  from  it. 
Once,  indeed,  when  Rose  had  seemed  to  gradually 
improve  for  such  a  length  of  time  that  he  felt  assured  of 
her  ultimate  recovery,  he  besought  her  to  allow  him 
to  return  for  a  few  months,  leaving  her  to  the  care  of 
Dolores,  but  the  thought  of  being  separated  from 
him  made  her  ill  again,  and  he  was  forced  to  give  up 
the  idea. 

To-day  he  reads  and  tosses  his  paper  aside,  glanc 
ing  a  moment  to  where  his  pale,  shadowy  wife  lies, 
looking  so  saint-like  and  ethereal  in  her  white  dress 
one  might  almost  fancy  her  body,  as  well  as  her  spirit, 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  245 

was  beginning  to  take  wings.  He  sighs,  and,  hearing 
the  murmur  of  the  fountain  in  the  court  below  and 
the  slow  footsteps  of  the  passers  by,  turns  to  look  with 
out,  where  he  beholds  a  medley  of  crumbling  ancient 
edifices  and  modern  buildings — the  last,  being  com 
posed  of  ancient  stone  and  brick  (as  women  patch 
together  old  materials  and  call  the  result  a  new  gown), 
were  new  by  courtesy  only.  The  domes  of  many 
churches  rose  bravely  here  and  there,  and  beyond, 
the  distant  Alban  mountains  met  the  sky,  which,  clear, 
bright  and  intensely  blue,  shone  softly  over  all. 

"  How  worthless  my  life  has  been, "are  his  thoughts. 
"  How  little — how  less  than  little — have  I  accom 
plished.  Even  since  I  met  Rose  first  I  have  lived  a 
life  of  repression.  First,  I  had  to  curb  my  love,  and 
when  at  last  I  won  her,  the  deceit  which  Alfred  had 
practiced  upon  her,  his  insulting  manner  of  breaking 
his  engagement,  caused  her  to  feel  such  deep  humilia 
tion  that  it  preyed  upon  her  health  and  sowed  the 
first  seeds  of  her  fatal  disease,  which  no  medical  skill 
has  been  able  to  uproot.  I  have  seen  great  wrong 
clone  about  me,  but  my  way  was  hedged  in  so  I  had 
no  opportunity  to  right  it.  No  doubt  my  neighbors 
at  home  are  this  moment  calling  me  a  coward,  and 
saying  I  came  hither  to  shirk  the  responsibility  the 
war  laid  upon  my  shoulders.  Well,  had  I  been  at 
home  they  would  have  had  occasion  to  call  me  a 
traitor,  so  it  matters  little.  Perhaps  I  would  have  ac 
complished  little  had  I  been  there.  I  might  now  fill 
an  unknown  grave,  and  then  my  trouble  would  be 
over  for  this  life.  Now,  my  people  need  me  sorely." 

The  Emancipation  Proclamation  had  been  issued 
at  the  beginning  of  the  present  year,  and  Rick, 
being  advised  beforehand,  had  given  orders  that  his 
slaves  should  have  their  choice  as  to  whether  they 
went  away  or  remained.  Those  who  chose  to  stay 
should  receive  regular  wages,  and  those  who  decided 
to  leave  were  to  receive  a  month's  wages  in  advance 
He  made  out  the  amount  himself  each  was  to  be  paid, 
and  sent  it  to  his  overseer. 


246  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

It  so  chanced  that  Idlefield  fared  better  than  it 
would  have  done  had  its  master  remained  at  home. 
His  overseer  was  old  and  slightly  lame,  of  no  use  to 
serve  in  the  army,  and  Miss  Nancy,  his  chief-of-staff, 
was  a  host  in  herself.  The  plantation  was  not  among 
those  devastated  by  the  war,  and  though  the  blockade 
prevented  the  general  export  of  cotton,  that  which  did 
chance  to  make  its  way  out  of  the  country  realized  an 
enormous  price,  and  therefore  the  productions  which 
reached  a  foreign  market  brought  more  than  double 
what  the  product  of  the  place  was  worth  in  times  of 
peace.  Rick  invested  much  of  his  money  in  Ameri 
can  bonds.  His  wealth  grew  apace,  but  he  lived 
quietly  and  plainly,  as  far  as  his  own  habits  were  con 
cerned,  never  striving  to  make  a  show  or  to  attain 
anything  beyond  respectability  and  comfort. 

"I  shall  need  it  all,"  he  said,  "if  I  help  my  people 
as  I  intend  to  do,  and  I  will  take  care  of  it  while  I  may." 

They  lived  very  quietly  in  Rome.  Rose  could  bear 
no  one  to  attend  upon  her  but  Dolores  and  Rick,  and 
they  in  turn  watched  with  her,  occasionally  relieved 
by  Tot,  who  proved  invaluable,  and  who  seemed  to 
take  to  foreign  life  as  though  it  was  the  pleasantest 
life  in  the  world.  With  the  children  usually,  she 
attended  to  all  their  wants,  though  Dolores  sought  to 
keep  them  almost  constantly  under  her  eye. 

Hal  and  Rose  are  now  bright  children,  seven  years 
of  age,  ajid,  living  in  a  harmonious  atmosphere,  they 
nearly  always  agree,  though  Hal  is  inclined  to  be 
slightly  tyrannical,  after  the  manner  of  boys,  and 
Rose,  less  imperious  than  girls  usually  are,  is  given  to 
humoring  his  whims.  Dolores  looks  carefully  after 
their  health,  and  sends  them  each  day  for  a  stroll  in 
the  Borghese  grounds,  or  a  walk  to  the  Pincian  Hill, 
with  Tot  for  an  escort,  and,  nearly  always,  Rick  wan 
dering  near  as  a  body-guard.  Dolores,  Rick  and  the 
children  have  all  grown  moderately  familiar  with  the 
Italian  tongue,  but  Rose  has  made  no  attempt  to 
learn  it.  She  likes  its  soft,  smoothly-flowing  sound, 
hut  prefers  to  speak  in  her  native  English. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  247 

Their  retinue  was  not  extensive.  Rick  found  it 
advisable  to  keep  a  valet,  and  Dolores  chanced  upon 
a  jewel  in  the  shape  of  a  male  cook,  who  had  lived 
with  resident  foreigners  until  he  thoroughly  understood 
American  ways.  He  served  up  charming  dinners  and 
strove  to  save  Dolores  all  possible  care,  besides  pos 
sessing  the  power  to  tempt  the  appetite  of  Rose  at 
times.  These  servants,  with  a  Donna  di  servizio  and 
the  faithful  Tot,  they  found  were  all  they  required. 

In  reviewing  the  events  of  the  war  Rick  perceives 
that  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  which  occurred  the 
previous  July,  with  the  surrender  of  Vicksburg  closely 
following  it,  has  turned  the  tide  of  success  toward 
the  North,  and  it  is  not  probable  that  the  South  can 
hold  out  much  longer.  Well,  whether  the  struggle  be 
long  or  short,  he  feels  that  his  beloved  Idlefield  can 
never  again  be  to  him  what  it  has  been  in  the  past. 
Still  he  must  go  back  to  it,  for  there  is  work  for  him 
to  do — the  Herculean  task  of  protecting  the  rights  of 
not  only  his  own  slaves,  but  as  many  as  possible  of 
the  despised  race,  and  help  them  in  the  new  path  of 
life  to  be  henceforth  theirs.  He  is  thinking  of  the 
thorns  that  will  beset  their  path  so  thickly,  and  how, 
in  helping  them  on,  he  may  atone  for  errors  of  the 
past. 

Rose  seems  weaker  than  ever  to-day,  but  she  has 
lingered  in  this  state  so  long  it  does  not  impress  her 
husband  with  a  sense  of  immediate  danger.  The 
physician  has  just  visited  her  and  failed  to  pronounce 
her  decidedly  worse,  so  Rick  looks  forward  to  a 
winter  in  Italy.  It  is  wearying,  this  constant  waiting 
without  hope,  yet  his  invalid  wife  is  so  dear  to  him  he 
would  keep  her  always,  if  possible,  even  in  her  present 
helpless  state,  rather  than  let  her  go  out  of  his  life 
forever.  He  looks  for  no  happiness  beyond  her 
death.  There  will  be  hard  work  for  him  and  but  little 
rest  in  the  future,  and  he  regards  the  thought  of  living 
to  old  age  with  something  of  a  shudder.  Even  the 
boy  who  will  bear  his  name  after  him  gives  little  com 
fort,  when  he  considers  how  stormy  a  heritage  he  will 


248  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

have  to  bequeath  him.  "  Poor  child  !"  he  thought, 
"  I  wonder  if  life  will  satisfy  him  as  little  as  it  has 
satisfied  me  !  And  yet,  I  have  been  told,  my  father 
longed  all  his  life  for  a  son  until  I  was  born.  Ah,  if 
he  could  have  known  !" 

One  of  Rick's  sisters — the  one  he  had  loved  the 
best — died  since  he  had  left  home.  The  others 
seemed  to  care  little  for  him  or  for  Idlefield  ;  they 
were  engrossed  with  home  cares.  Their  husbands 
were  in  the  Confederate  army.  Suppose — and  then 
he  paused,  shuddering.  It  was  a  fratricidal  war  at 
best. 

He  rose,  it  was  his  usual  hour  for  a  walk. 

"  Do  you  wish  anything  ?"  he  asked  of  Rose  as  he 
stopped  by  her  bedside  to  kiss  her  before  he  went  out. 

She  smiled  faintly  and  feebly  shook  her  head. 

"And  you  ?"  he  said,  turning  to  Dolores. 

"No,"  she  answered  in  Italian;  "but  do  not  be 
long  away." 

He  paused  a  moment  to  kiss  Rose  once  more,  and 
managed  to  look  in  Dolores"  face  without  his  wife's 
seeing  the  expression  upon  his  own,  which  was  earnest 
and  questioning. 

"  Do  you  fear  the  worst  ?"  it  asked,  though  his  lips 
spoke  never  a  word. 

And  Dolores  bowed  in  answer,  her  white  face  sadder 
than  he  had  seen  it  since  the  night  she  sought  his 
protection  with  her  child  in  her  arms. 

"  I  will  go  no  farther  than  the  court,"  he  said,  "and 
remain  but  a  short  while.  Send  for  me  if  you  need 
me." 

His  foot  had  scarcely  touched  the  lower  stair  when, 
turning,  though  he  heard  no  sound,  he  saw  Dolores 
beckoning  him  from  above.  Retracing  his  steps,  he 
entered  the  room  and  saw  Dolores  had  lifted  Rose, 
who  was  gasping  for  breath,  into  a  sitting  posture. 
Advancing  to  the  other  side  of  the  bed  he,  too,  put 
his  arm  around  his  wife.  In  a  moment  the  spasm 
passed,  and,  recovering,  Rose  gave  a  loving  glance  in 
the  face  of  each. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  249 

"It  almost  seems  as  if  my  life  had  been  in  vain," 
she  said,  speaking  with  an  effort.  "I  think  I  am 
going,  and  it  is  best  so." 

"It  has  not  been  in  vain  !"  cried  Dolores,  as  Rick, 
unable  to  speak,  stooped  to  kiss  his  wife's  damp  brow. 
"Your  influence  will  live  in  the  lives  of  those  who 
have  known  you,  and  they  will  teach  your  principles 
to  their  children  through  generations  to  come,  so  it 
can  never  die.  Ah,  Rose  !  the  world  will  be  very 
empty  to  me  without  you  !" 

A  faint  smile  overspread  the  wan  face,  from  which 
•every  other  expression  was  fast  fading  out.  She 
moved  her  lips,  whether  in  prayer  or  to  answer 
Dolores  no  one  could  tell,  for  they  were  past  all 
earthly  speech.  As  a  last  effort  she  lifted  her  wasted 
hands,  laid  one  gently  upon  the  arm  of  each,  and  died. 


CHAPTER    XXXVII. 

THE    WARNING. 

It  was  in  November  that  Rose  died,  and  in  the 
January  following  Rick  and  Dolores  reached  Idlefield 
once  more.  Miss  Nancy  welcomed  them  with  tears, 
as  she  had  bidden  them  good-bye. 

"I  knowed  it!"  she  cried.  "I  knowed  I'd  never 
see  my  poor  child  agin  !  But  I'm  so  glad  to  hev  you 
back,  Rita,  ef  you  do  look  all  done  out.  I  must  try 
an'  nuss  ye  up  a  little." 

After  the  first  surprise  the  children  seemed  to  recog 
nize  the  old  place,  and  appeared  delighted  to  be  home 
once  more.  Hal  did  not  miss  his  mother  in  the  least, 
as  she  had  never  been  able  to  give  him  much  care, 
.and  he  always,  though  to  the  regret  of  Dolores, 
seemed  greatly  to  prefer  his  Aunt  Rita. 

They  found  about  half  the  old  slaves  had  left  the 
|;la«e  since  they  had  been  set  free  ;  even  the  children 
were  scattered.  The  negroes  who  chanced  to  be 
near  the  Union  army  were  in  some  degree  sheltered, 
but  woe  to  those  who  encountered  the  wrath  of  the 


250  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

rebel  soldiers.  Mr.  White  assured  Rick  that  many 
would  have  been  glad  to  remain  since  they  re 
ceived  wages,  but  they  were  forced  to  leave  by  the 
rebel  soldiers,  who  would  swoop  down  upon  the  place, 
steal  whatever  they  could  lay  their  hands  upon  and 
depart,  never,  however,  without  prevailing  upon  some 
of  the  negroes,  by  enticing  them  with  false  promises 
or  intimidating  them  with  threats,  to  accompany  them. 

Poor  Sol,  who  had  been  married  to  Chloe  for  two 
or  three  years,  was,  upon  one  of  these  rebel  raids, 
bound  hand  and  foot,  and  his  wife,  shrinking  with 
fright,  carried  away  before  his  eyes.  Mr.  White  was 
out  in  the  fields  at  the  time  with  the  remaining  field 
hands,  and  had  left  Sol  to  guard  the  house,  though 
he  did  not  know  there  was  any  rebel  soldiers  near. 
As  soon  as  Sol  was  released  he  followed,  but  he  lost 
the  trail,  and  after  searching  diligently  for  a  week 
found  the  place  where  they  had  camped  deserted. 
As  he  was  about  to  pass  on  he  was  attracted  to  a 
pile  of  brush,  made  up  of  the  limbs  of  a  tree  they 
had  felled  and  used  for  firewood.  He  turned  to  in 
spect  it,  and  to  his  horror  found  there  was  a  dead 
body  under  it.  Fearing  the  worst,  he  removed  the 
brush,  and  there,  horribly  mutilated,  was  poor  Chloe, 
who  had  evidently  been  murdered  quite  recently  and 
left  in  this  shocking  manner. 

He  carried  her  body  home  and  they  had  rt  buried 
decently,  but  it  cast  a  gloom  over  the  place  from 
which  it  had  not  recovered  when  our  travelers  re 
turned.  Dolores  and  Rick  were  greatly  excited  over 
it,  but  there  seemed  to  be  no  redress  at  present — 
probably  never — as  the  perpetrators  of  the  outrage 
were  unknown  and  could  not  well  be  traced. 

"The  great  trouble  is,"  said  Rick,  "that  the  pres 
ent  generation  of  whites  at  the  South  consider  the 
negroes  legitimate  game,  and  will  continue  to  do  so 
while  they  live.  What  is  bred  in  the  bone  must  come 
out  in  the  flesh.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  impossible 
to  rid  the  negroes  of  a  certain  fear  of  and  deference 
to  the  whites,  which  renders  them  easy  victims." 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  251 

lie  went  to  work,  doing  all  he  could  for  the  com 
fort  of  those  who  were  left  at  Idlefield,  and  gave 
directions  that  all  negroes  who  applied  for  food 
should  be  sheltered  and  fed,  though  at  that  time 
there  was  not  many  wanderers  in  the  vicinity. 
Dolores  did  not  question  him  in  regard  to  his  future 
plans,  but  she  saw  he  was  brooding  over  the  state  of 
affairs,  and  was  not  surprised  one  morning  to  find 
him  too  ill  to  leave  his  bed.  She  lost  no  time  in 
summoning  Dr.  Cathcart,  who,  after  prescribing,  in 
dicated  that  he  would  like  a  little  private  conversa 
tion  with  her. 

"It  is  terribly  unfortunate,"  said  he,  "  that  that 
misguided  Rick  should  choose  to  come  home  just 
at  this  time.  There  were  rumors  about  his  trea 
sonable  sentiments  and  actions  before  he  went  away, 
but  if  he  had  waited  a  year  longer  this  might  have  all 
been  settled  and  the  thing  would  have  blown  over. 
It  is  impossible  for  him  to  go  on  as  he  has  begun — 
paying  his  slaves  as  if  they  were  white  people — when 
everybody  knows  the  so-called  Emancipation  Procla 
mation  was  illegal  and  unconstitutional  from  every 
point  of  view.  Every  slave  that  left  his  master  under 
it  will  either  be  paid  for  or  returned  to  his  owner 
within  a  year's  time.  Now  mark  my  words." 

"  But,"  said  Dolores,  "  it  seems  to  me,  in  any  case, 
that  it  is  nobody's  business,  so  long  as  Mr.  Gonzales 
obeys  the  laws  of  the  land.  If  the  people  in  his 
employ  are  his  slaves  still,  he  has  a  right  to  pay  them 
for  their  services  if  he  chooses  to  do  so  ;  if  they  are 
not  his  slaves,  it  is  simply  justice  upon  his  part.  He 
interferes  with  no  one." 

"  But  his  example — don't  you  understand  ?  It  is 
his  example  that  is  playing  the  mischief  everywhere. 
When  other  slaves  hear  that  his  are  being  paid 
wages,  do  you  suppose  that  they  are  going  to  work 
for  nothing  ?" 

"  I  should  think  they  would  be  very  foolish  to  do 
so,"  replied  Dolores,  calmly. 

"  Young  woman,"  pompously,  "permit  me  to  say 


21)2  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

you  are  talking  about  something  you  don't  under 
stand." 

"In  that  case,"  she  replied,  quietly,  "I  should 
not  think  it  would  be  worth  your  while  to  waste  your 
time  in  conversing  with  me." 

"  It's  no  use  flying  in  the  face  of  a  friend,"  the 
doctor  said,  testily,  "  and  all  I  said  I  meant  in  a 
friendly  manner." 

"  I  am  much  obliged  to  you,  I  am  sure,"  she  re 
plied  ;  "  but  I  don't  see  how  I  am  to  mend  matters. 
Mr.  Gonzales  is  not  in  the  habit  of  asking  my  permis 
sion  before  he  does  anything,  except  he  might  consult 
me,  perhaps,  in  regard  to  his  boy.  Anyhow,  he  is  too 
ill  to  listen  to  any  sort  of  advice  just  now,  even  were 
I  in  the  mood  to  give  it." 

"True,  but  he  will  probably  recover,  and  you  might 
put  him  upon  his  guard.  There  are  not  many  men 
about  here  at  present,  but  the  boys  in  gray  occasion 
ally  get  home  on  a  short  furlough,  and  they  wouldn't 
tolerate  anything  of  the  kind  in  Rick — they  wouldn't, 
indeed.  Besides,  they  think  it  very  strange  that  he 
doesn't  join  the  army.  If  he  had  only  remained 
away  until  the  whole  thing  was  settled  it  would  have 
been  all  right,  although  some  did  say  that  it  was  con 
venient  for  his  wife  to  be  obliged  to  go  to  Europe 
just  as  she  did." 

"Dr.  Cathcart,"  said  Dolores,  "Mr.  Gonzales  took 
his  wife  to  Europe  upon  your  recommendation — in 
obedience  to  the  strongest  kind  of  advice  upon  your 
part.  He  remained  until  her  death,  because  he  knew 
she  was  unable  to  endure  a  homeward  journey,  and 
he  could  not  leave  her  to  die  alone.  As  to  his  evad 
ing  the  war,  he  went  away  before  it  began,  as  you 
well  know.'1 

"I  know,"  the  doctor  replied,  somewhat  confusedly, 
"  I  know.  I  had  my  own  reasons  for  trying  to  get 
him  out  of  the  country,  and  they  were  based  upon  my 
great  regard  for  him.  This,  however,  I  kept  entirely 
to  myself.  I  declared  to  all  who  said  he  went  away 
to  shun  the  war  that  he  went  because  I  insisted  upon 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NO151LITY.  253 

it;  and  I  said,  moreover,  that  he  might  be  peculiar, 
but  he  was  as  noble  a  Southerner  as  any  who  had  dis 
tinguished  themselves  in  the  Confederate  army.  And 
after  I  declared  this,  he  takes  it  into  his  head  to  come 
home  and  give  me  the  lie  by  his  actions.  Why,  flesh 
and  blood  couldn't  stand  that  !" 

"  I  know,"  Dolores  said,  feeling  that  she  would  like 
to  laugh,  but  disliking  to  wound  the  old  gentleman's 
feelings.  "I  feel  quite  sure  you  have  been  friendly  to 
Mr.  Gonzalcs  all  along,  and  he  has  had  no  thought 
of  compromising  you  by  any  of  his  acts.  So  do  not 
judge  him  hastily.  He  is  in  no  condition  to  speak  of 
any  such  subject  now,  and  I  advise  you  to  wait  until 
he  is  well,  and  then  you  shall  scold  him  to  your  heart's, 
content." 

"  Oh,  /  could  wait  forever,"  said  the  old  doctor. 
"  It  isn't  that.  The  thing  is  that  others  won't  wait." 

"  But  certainly  no  one  would  be  so  cowardly  as  to 
attack  a  sick  man,"  replied  Dolores. 

"Cowardly  is  a  strong  word,"  the  doctor  said,  "but 
many  people  think  it  isn't  cowardly  to  deal  summarily 
with  a  coward.  I  didn't  mean,"  he  continued,  look 
ing  uneasily  about  for  fear  some  one  might  be  lurking 
within  hearing  distance,  "to  tell  you  everything,  but 
the  facts  are  just  this.  You  know  news,  and  especially 

bad  news,  spreads  like  wildfire " 

"Yes,  yes,"  said  Dolores,  impatiently,  "I  know. 
There  is  no  one  to  listen  ;  and  depend  upon  it,  Dr. 
Cathcart,  I  shall  not  betray  anything  you  may  say  to 
me." 

"You  give  me  your  word  of  this  ?"  he  said,  eagerly. 
"  I  give  you  my  solemn  promise,"  and  she  held  out 
her  hand  to  him. 

"  Well,  then,  I  came  here  almost  at  the  risk  of  my 
life.  I've  always  been  devoted  to  Southern  principles, 
and  all  the  boys  in  gray  know  it,  but  they  know,  too, 
that  I  have  a  strong  affection  for  Rick.  Why,  I  was 
in  attendance  here,  professionally,  when  the  boy  was 
born,  and  I  can't  stand  by  and  see  him  shot  down  in. 
cold  blood  without  trying  to  prevent  it." 


254  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

"  Doctor,"  said  Dolores,  who  was  beginning  to 
realize  the  danger  Rick  was  subjected  to,  "  do  you 
think  any  one  would  molest  him,  ill  as  he  is?" 

"  The  thing  is  this,"  replied  Dr.  Cathcart.  "  They 
say  I  lied  about  Rick's  going,  about  his  principles, 
and  all  that,  and  they  will  say  now  that  I  am  lying 
again  about  his  being  ill,  in  order  to  protect  him. 
Even  if  they  came  here  and  found  him  in  bed ' 

"  Surely  they  would  do  nothing  rash  or  unmanly 
then  !" 

"But  you  don't  understand!"  he  cried.  "They 
would  say  it  was  only  a  cowardly  trick  of  his,  and 
that  he  was  shamming  to  protect  himself." 

"  It  is  easy  to  say  such  things  when  men  are  bent 
upon  some  brutal  outrage,"  she  said,  angrily.  "No 
one  worthy  of  the  name  of  man  would  harm  any  one 
who  is  ill,  especially  a  kind-hearted,  true  and  generous 
man,  who  would  not  willingly  harm  or  molest  any 
one.  But  I  defy  the  '  boys  in  gray,'  as  you  call 
them.  Tell  them  for  me,  if  they  come  to  molest 
Rick  Gonzales  while  he  is  ill  to  look  out  for  their 
own  lives  !" 

"Heavens!"  cried  the  doctor,  admiringly.  "What 
a  true  Southern  woman  you  are.  It  is  a  great  pity," 
sighing,  "  that  you  ever  were  so  unfortunate  as  to 
become  imbued  with  abolition  sentiments.  They  may 
seem  poetical,  and  all  that,  to  those  who  don't  know 
or  understand  the  inferiority  of  the  race  they  are  so 
Quixoticxlly  defending.  And  all  champions  of  the 
negro  race,"  continued  the  doctor,  feeling  that  he  had 
hit  upon  a  happy  illustration  and  determined  to 
enlarge  upon  it  to  the  fullest  extent,  "  are  Quixotic. 
They  are  perpetually  tilting  at  windmills,  real  or 
imaginary.  Windmills,  you  know,"  ironically,  "  are 
dangerous  and  should  be  abolished." 

"The  old  idiot !"  thought  Dolores,  "to  be  prating 
about  windmills  when  Rick  is  in  mortal  clanger. 
"  Are  you  then  afraid  to  visit  Mr.  Gonzales  again," 
she  asked  aloud. 

"What !"  exclaimed  the  doctor,  aggrieved  that  his 


SL'UDUED    SOUTHERN     NOBILITY.  25^ 

apt  illustration  should  be  ignored,  "  have  you  never, 
then,  read  '  Don  Quixote?'  " 

"  Indeed  I  have,"  she  said,  vexed  in  turn.  "  I  read 
it  in  the  original  Spanish,  together  with  the  remainder 
of  the  writings  of  Cervantes  ;  but  it  appears  to  me 
this  is  not  the  time  to  discuss  literature,  or  even  to 
talk  politics.  I  thank  you  for  your  kindness,  but  if 
you  are  not  to  be  allowed  to  visit  Mr.  Gonzales  again, 
will  you  kindly  explain  his  symptoms  to  me,  and  how 
he  ought  to  be  treated,  for,  probably,  there  is  not  an 
other  physician  in  this  chivalrous  land  of  the  South 
who  would  dare  attend  a  man  who  is  supposed  to  en 
tertain  philanthropic  principles,  however  ill  he  might 
be." 

"You  are  right,"  he  said,  ignoring  in  turn  her 
irony.  "I  doubt  if  you  could  get  a  physician  to  at 
tend  him.  I  know  you  could  not  obtain  one  who 
understood  the  case.  Besides,  nearly  all  the  phy 
sicians  are  in  the  army  ;  only  the  older  ones  remain 
at  home." 

"  But  in  regard  to  the  symptoms  of — I  suppose  I 
may  term  him  your  ex-patient.  Do  you  think  him 
very  ill  ?" 

"  He's  very  feverish  but  not  dangerous  as  yet, 
though  I  wouldn't  be  surprised  if  he  grew  delirious 
by  and  by." 

"  And  you  will  leave  a  man  in  this  condition  to  his 
fate  !"  she  said,  scornfully. 

"  Softly,"  said  the  doctor.  "  My  coming  wouldn't 
be  apt  to  prolong  his  life,  and  it  would  be  pretty  sure 
to  shorten  mine." 

"  I  see.  Forgive  me  if  I  spoke  unkindly,  and  pray 
tell  me  what  I  am  to  do." 

"The  best  thing  you  can  do,"  he  said,  "  is  to  have 
a  couple  of  trusty  men  who  won't  betray  his  where 
abouts,  convey  him  up-stairs  and  try  and  hide  him 
until  the  affair  blows  over  and  the  boys  go  back." 

"  Are  they  here  now  ?" 

"No;  at  least  only  one  of  them,  and  I  had  a  talk 
with  him  before  I  came.  If  he  dreamed  that  1 


256  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

warned  you — well,  it  wouldn't  be  safe  for  me  to  have 
him  know  it." 

"  Do  not  fear,  he  shall  never  know  it  unless  you 
choose  to  inform  him  yourself,"  she  said.  "  And  now 
(persistently  returning  to  the  point  she  was  trying  to 
gain  information  upon),  please  prescribe,  to  the  best 
of  your  knowledge,  enough  medicine  to  last  Mr.  Gon- 
zales  until  his  recovery.  Stay  !  I  have  a  medicine 
chest  which  I  always  carried  in  traveling  ;  I  found  it 
necessary.  It  is  well  stocked,  and  you  may  put  up  your 
prescriptions  from  that,  as  I  know  the  drugs  are  pure." 

So  the  doctor  sat  down  and  made  up  powder  after 
powder,  Dolores  naming  and  numbering  each,  and 
then,  under  his  directions,  she  wrote  down  a  complete 
guide  as  to  how  and  when  she  was  to  administer 
them,  what  various  symptoms  denoted,  and  how  they 
should  be  met.  Then,  placing  all  in  her  medicine 
chest  carefully,  she  rose  to  bow  the  doctor  out. 

"  I  suppose  you  are  in  haste  to  go,"  she  said,  "and 
I  will  not  detain  you.  I  thank  you  for  what  you  have 
done,  and  hope,  if  you  find  it  does  not  endanger  your 
self,  you  will  come  again  to  see  him,  at  least  in  two  or 
three  days." 

"I  cannot  promise,"  he  said  ;  "but  I  believe  you 
are  a  >lucky  woman,  and  if  I  have  an  opportunity  to 
defen  1  you  or  that  poor  boy  there,  without  danger 
to  myself,  I  shall  certainly  do  so.  As  it  is,  I  hope 
you  will  heed  my  warning,  for  depend  upon  it,  it  is 
neither  too  earnest  or  too  early.  Don't  flatter  your 
self  that  I  exaggerate  the  danger  in  any  way.  On  the 
contrary,  I  have  scarcely  pictured  the  thing  as  black 
as  it  really  is.  You  are  in  no  personal  danger,  for 
there  isn't  a  boy  in  gray  who  would  harm  a  hair  of 
any  lady's  head." 

"And  yet  they  would  murder  a  sick  and  helpless 
man  without  the  slightest  compunction,"  she  said,  bit 
terly.  "A  nice  distinction,  truly." 

"You  forget,"  he  said,  "we  are  not  warring  with 
women  and  children.  We  leave  all  that  to  the  boys 
in  blue." 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  257 

"Heaven  grant  me  patience!"  she  cried,  "for  I 
have  sore  need  of  it.  The  boys  in  gray  are  too  noble 
and  chivalrous  to  harm  a  woman  or  a  child,  and  yet 
they  are  ready,  according  to  your  own  statement,  to 
drag  a  sick  man  from  his  bed  and  murder  him, 
perhaps,  before  the  very  eyes  of  his  little  helpless 
child.  And  had  he  a  wife  it  would  be  all  the 
same — she  could  not  stay  their  hands.  Oh,  no  ! 
ihey  are  too  brave  to  make  war  upon  women  and 
children  !" 

"  I  hope  you  will  pardon  me  when  I  say  you  either 
do  not  understand  the  subject  or  that  you  are  will 
fully  obtuse,"  said  the  doctor,  "but  I  never  knew 
an  Abolitionist  yet  who  had  the  slightest  spark  of 
reason  in  him.  You  might  argue  until  you  were 
blind  and  they  never  budge  an  inch  from  their  first 
standpoint.  It  is  plain  you  cannot  or  will  not  under 
stand  the  thing  at  all." 

"A  ponderous  intellect,  indeed,  it  must  require  to 
grasp  so  intricate  a  subject,"  retorted  Dolores,  "and 
yet  I  am  not  surprised  that  you  are  able  to  master  it. 
Dr.  Cathcart,  you  know  if  those  wretches  come  here 
and  murder  Mr.  Gonzales  while  he  is  too  ill  to  defend 
himself,  it  will  be  a  most  beastly  and  cowardly  act — a 
disgrace  to  a  civilized  community  ;  and  if  you,  know 
ing  beforehand  their  intentions,  do  not  denounce  them 
and  have  them  arrested  by  the  proper  authorities,  you 
are  as  guilty  at  heart  as  they  are  !" 

"  Why,  woman,  you  are  mad  !"  he  cried.  "  My 
life  would  not  be  worth  a  moment's  purchase  if  I  were 
to  hint  such  a  thing  and  it  should  come  to  the  ears 
of  the  parties  I  speak  of." 

"  I  understand  you,"  she  said.  "You  know  as  well 
as  I  what  a  fearful  crime  these  desperadoes  have  in 
contemplation.  You  are  not  altogether  lost  to  the 
feelings  of  humanity,  and  therefore  you  slyly  come 
and  give  me  warning.  Still,  you  are  afraid  they  will 
murder  you  also  if  you  denounce  them  publicly,  and 
therefore  you  hesitate.  I  don't  blame  you,  for  this 
fear  is  natural  to  most  women  and  some  men  ;  hut 


250  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

because  you  uphold  and  laud  them  when  you  know 
how  fiendish  their  purpose  is,  you  are  unworthy  of 
the  name  of  man  !  Dr.  Cathcart,  I  bid  you  good 
morning." 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

AUNT    NANCY    TELLS    A    SECRET. 

Rick  was  asleep  when  Dolores  returned  to  his 
room  and  Aunt  Nancy  was  keeping  watch  beside  him. 
It  was  a  relief  to  her  to  think  that  there  would  be  no 
need  for  explanations,  for  she  did  not  wish  to  arouse 
his  suspicions,  as  it  would,  doubtless,  make  the  fever 
more  violent  to  have  his  mind  disturbed,  and  especi 
ally  as  she  knew  it  was  coming  home  and  finding 
things  so  changed — his  people  abused  and  scattered, 
his  home  rifled  of  the  choicest  treasures  it  contained, 
with  the  prospect  of  nothing  better  for  years — which 
had  tended  to  bring  on  this  nervous  fever. 

"  I'd  begun  to  make  up  my  mind  that  the  old  doctor 
was  a-courtin'  ye,"  said  Miss  Nancy,  in  what  was 
meant  for  a  whisper,  but  which  could  have  been  heard 
all  over  the  house. 

Dolores  laid  her  finger  upon  her  lip.  As  true  as 
steel  in  all  things  was  Aunt  Nancy,  perfectly  frank 
and  free  from  deceit,  yet  she  had  one  fault  which 
sometimes  proved  a  troublesome  one — she  could  never 
keep  a  secret,  particularly  from  any  one  she  cared 
for.  She  would  manage  to  appear  so  mysterious,  and 
was  in  the  habit  of  giving  all  manner  of  dark  hints, 
as  soon  as  a  secret  was  confided  to  her  that  it  was 
soon  a  secret  no  longer.  Dolores  was  aware  of  this 
and  she  determined  to  keep  her  own  counsel,  as  far  as 
Aunt  Nancy  was  concerned. 

"Yes,"  she  said,  in  a  very  low  tone,  "the  doctor  is 
extremely  tiresome,  and  I  am  really  vexed  with  him. 
I  think  I  will  leave  Rick  with  you  a  little  while,  as  I 
wish  to  look  into  the  nursery.  If  he  wakes,  please 
call  me,  for  I  must  give  him  some  medicine." 

She  went  to  the  nursery  and   found   Tot  putting. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  259 

on  the  children's  hats.     They  were  going  out  for  a 
walk. 

"Children,"  she  said,  "run  out  a  few  moments 
without  Tot.  I  want  to  speak  with  her.  Don't  go  in 
front  of  the  house,  Halbert,  or  make  any  noise,  as 
papa  is  asleep,  and  he  will  not  get  well  if  he  is  dis 
turbed." 

They  kissed  her.  and  ran  out,  willingly  enough. 
As  soon  as  left  alone,  she  turned  to  Tot  and  began 
her  story,  telling  everything  the  doctor  had  said,  and 
enjoining  secrecy. 

"  I  knowed  dey  was  somefin  up,  Miss  Rita,"  she 
said,  "  an'  I  knowed,  too,  dey  was  rebels  'bout  yer, 
'cause  Sol  said  dis  mornin'  dat  some  one  hed  coaxed 
Dick  away.  Dick  an'  Sol  was  de  only  darkies  lef  on 
de  place  dat  we  could  count  on,  an'  dey  knowed  dey 
couldn't  coax  away  Sol.  Pore  ole  Mas'r  White  am  so 
lame  he  can't  do  nuffin  at  all,  so  Sol  is  all  we's  got. 
Now,  Miss  Rita,  what  does  yer  tink  we'  bettah  do  ?" 

"Tot,  I  don't  know.  We  must  not  alarm  Master 
Rick,  for  the  doctor  says  he  must  be  kept  as  quiet  as 
possible.  He  has  two  revolvers,  that  I  know,  and  if 
you  have  one  and  I  the  other  I  think  we  can  manage. 
And,  by  the  way,  where  is  that  little  revolver  you  used 
with  such  effect  when  we  were  in  trouble  before  ?" 

"  I'se  got  it  safe,  Miss  Rita,  nebber  you  feah.  Ef 
dey  comes,  my  'vice  ter  you  is  ter  hab  one  'volvah  in 
Mas'r  Rick's  room  right  whar  he  kin  reach  it ;  you 
take  his  odder  one,  an'  I'se  gwine  to  take  mine.  We'd 
bettah  lock  'im  up  in  'is  room,  an'  you  an'  me  will 
meet  de  sojers  in  de  hall.  When  Mas'r  Rick  heahs 
de  doin's  he'll  git  out  es  soon  es  he  kin,  but  ef  he's 
locked  in  you  an'  me'll  hab  de  fust  chance  at  'em. 
N7ow,  don't  go  fer  ter  worry  yerself  outen  yer  head, 
Miss  Rita.  Mas'r  Rick  ain't  gwine  ter  be  very  sick. 
He's  feverish,  I  knows,  but  ef  any  one  comes  a-foolin' 
roun'  'im  dey  had  bettah  look  out,  dat's  all.  He  ain't 
gwine  ter  hab  a  rale  up  an'  down  fever,  I'll  be  boun'. 
'Sides,  dem  sojers  w'at  comes  roun'  tryin'  ter  kill  sick 
folks,  an'  a-stealin'  eberyting  offen  de  place  w'en  dey 


260  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

knows  dar  ain't  nobody  to  hum,  is  cowards,  an'  we'll 
fix  'em,  now  see  ef  we  don't." 

"  You  are  a  good  comforter,  Tot,"  said  Dolores, 
"  and  I  will  try  and  take  courage  by  what  you  have 
said.  The  first  thing  to  do  is  to  attend  to  Rick.  Say 
nothing  of  my  fears,  and  I  will  try  to  hide  them  from 
every  one  else.  Only  to  think  a  lot  of  brutal  men  are 
coming  to  murder  him  in  his  bed,  and  we  with  no  one 
but  ourselves  to  depend  on  (for  Mr.  White  is  lame 
and  I'm  sure  Sol  doesn't  know  how  to  fire  a  gun), 
surely  that  is  enough  to  frighten  any  one." 

Dolores  and  Tot  were  in  such  earnest  conversation 
they  did  not  hear  Aunt  Nancy's  approach,  for,  as  she 
stepped  lighter  than  she  talked,  she  had  stolen  upon 
them  unawares,  hearing  enough  of  what  Dolores  said 
to  learn  the  whole  truth. 

"  Good  airth  !"  was  the  first  thing  which  made  them 
aware  of  her  presence,  and  both  started  as  if  shot. 
"  What  next  ?"  she  continued  oratorically,  but  en 
deavoring  to  lower  her  voice  at  a  signal  from  Dolores. 
"  I've  said  it  agin'  an'  agin',  an'  I  say  it  now,  we  might 
as  well  be  amongst  a  passel  of  savages  !  Them  air  Suc- 
cessionists  does  beat  all.  Now,  I  think  President  Lin- 
kum  orter  git  up  a  declamation  a-settin'  the  Southern 
white  men  an'  their  families  free  as  don't  jine  in  with 
the  rebels,  an'  yit  don't  want  ter  leave  ferever  the 
home  they  was  born  in." 

"It  is  a  dreadful  state  of  affairs,"  said  Dolores, 
not  knowing  how  much  Miss  Nancy  had  heard,  for 
the  old  lady  (and  small  wonder)  was  given  to  launch 
ing  off  into  vehement  tirades  against  the  rebel  sol 
diers  at  all  times.  "Dr.  Cathcart  is  afraid  to  visit 
Rick  any  more,"  she  continued,  "  and  things  look  as 
dark  as  possible  ;  but  I  don't  wish  to  tell  Rick  any 
thing  to  disturb  him  so  long  as  he  is  unsuspicious." 

"  Oh,  I  won't  say  nothin',"  declared  Miss  Nancy. 
"  I'd  only  make  a  bungle  of  it  ef  I  undertook.  But  ef 
Mr.  Consaulus  gits  well  he'll  have  more'n  one 
squirmish  with  them  air  sojers  afore  the  thing  is  done 
with." 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  261 

"Suppose,"  said  Dolores,  "they  should  come  here 
while  he  is  ill,  can  you  fire  a  gun  or  revolver,  Aunt 
Nancy  ?" 

"  Massy  sakes,  no  !  I'm  powerful  feared  of  a  gun. 
Dan  hed  an  old  flint  lock  he  used  to  shoot  crows  with 
in  plantin'  corn  time,  an'  I  made  him  keep  it  in  the 
waggin-house  I  was  so  scairt  of  it.  Now  look  here, 
Rita,  you'm  a-gittin'  narvous.  I've  lived  in  peace  an' 
quietness  a  good  many  year  tell  I  come  down  here, 
an'  it  ain't  likely  they'll  be  any  call  fer  me  to  larn  how 
to  handle  a  gun  at  my  time  o'  life  or  you  at  yourn." 

"As  to  that,"  Dolores  said,  "Rick  taught  me  how 
to  shoot  a  revolver  while  we  were  in  Spain.  Rose 
was  timid,  and  could  not  bear  him  out  of  her  sight  ; 
she  said  we  would  be  quite  at  the  mercy  of  any 
ruffian  who  might  chance  to  come  near  us.  He  said 
I  was  very  expert,  and  I  did  seem  to  shoot  well  at  a 
target,  though  I  need  practice.  But  if  Rick  is  awake 
I  must  go  in  and  give  him  his  medicine." 

Aunt  Nancy  followed  and  circled  about  the  bed, 
giving  a  sheet  a  twitch  here  and  the  counterpane  a 
pull  there  with  such  vigorous  abruptness  as  to  cause 
the  patient  to  start  with  each  performance.  Seeing 
this,  Dolores  asked  her  to  go  out  and  take  a  look  after 
the  children,  and  Rick  watched  her  depart  with  a 
grateful  smile. 

"There  is  magic  in  your  touch,  Dolores,"  he  said 
(he  sometimes  called  her  the  old  name  when  they 
were  quite  alone).  "I  cannot  wonder  that  my  father 
clung  to  you  so,  or  poor  Rose,  and  I  can  quite  under 
hand  her  feelings  when  she  asked  you  to  protect  her 
from  Aunt  Nancy.  If  you  will  only  save  me  from  her 
now — I  mean  from  twitching  at  the  bedclothes  and 
shouting  in  my  ears — I  am  sure  I  shall  be  well  soon." 

Dolores  smiled  faintly. 

"  I  will  save  you  from  every  annoyance  possible," 
she  said.  "And  now  sleep  if  you  can." 

He  smiled  in  answer,  trustful  and  content,  closing 
his  eyes  dutifully,  half  opening  them  occasionally  to 
catch  a  glimpse  of  the  fair,  womanly  face,  which 


262  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

was  restful  in  itself,  and  then  he  fell  asleep.  For 
tunately,  Miss  Nancy  sent  Tot  with  the  ice,  so  he  was 
not  disturbed,  and  Dolores  sat  and  tried  to  plan  some 
course  of  action  which  would  avert  the  danger  which 
threatened  them.  She  determined  to  see  that  Rick's 
revolvers  were  in  readiness,  that  she  and  Tot  might 
use  them  if  need  be,  feeling  that  they  would  avail 
them  little  among  a  lot  of  desperate  armed  men,  who 
were  reckless  enough  at  any  time,  and  whom  the  war 
and  its  influences,  its  association  with  bloodshed  and 
reckless  destruction  of  life,  had  utterly  demoralized. 
However,  it  was  not  likely  anything  would  be  done 
to-day,  and  the  first  thing  for  her  to  do  was  to  con 
sider  Rick's  case  and  do  all  she  could  for  him. 
Perhaps  she  might  possibly  break  the  fever  after  all. 
Remembering  there  was  a  medical  book  upon  fevers 
in  the  collection  in  the  parlor,  she  went  and  brought 
it,  glancing  over  the  pages  hurriedly  until  she  came 
to  something  which  seemed  to  apply  directly  to  Rick's 
case.  She  read  on  for  some  time,  and,  closing  the 
book,  she  was  deliberating  upon  her  course  of  action, 
when  Rick  awoke  and  addressed  her. 

"  You  look  troubled,"  he  said.  "  Has  anything 
happened  ?" 

"  I  was  only  considering  what  was  best  to  be  done," 
she  answered,  forcing  a  smile  ;  "and  I  think  you 
ought  to  go  to  New  York  and  place  yourself  under 
some  good  physician's  care.  I  haven't  any  faith  in 
Dr.  Cathcart.  Go  with  Sol  and  I  will  remain  in 
charge  of  the  place." 

"  Why,  Rita,  are  you  clothed  in  your  right  mind  ?" 
he  asked,  in  surprise.  "  Do  you  think  I  would  leave 
you  here,  subjected  to  the  raids  of  lawless  soldiers 
and  outlaws  of  every  kind  ?" 

At  this  moment  there  were  sounds  of  woe  in  the 
nursery,  which  soon  took  the  form,  or  rather  sound,  of 
howls  from  Halbert,  who  was  loudly  calling  for  his 
Aunt  Rita.  So  Dolores  rose,  gave  Rick  another 
powder  and  a  cooling  drink,  called  Sol  to  sit  by  him  a 
few  moments,  and  then  went  into  the  nursery  to  com- 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  263 

fort  the  child,  and,  under  cover  of  this  excuse,  to  have 
another  confidential  chat  with  Tot. 

"  Tot,"  she  said,  after  she  had  sent  put  Rose  and 
put  Halbert  to  sleep,  "  when  the  attack  comes  I  shall 
meet  the  men  alone.  They  will  be  half-respectful  to 
me,  as  they  consider  me  a  white  woman,  but  they 
would  shoot  you  down  with  less  compunction  than 
they  would  kill  a  dog.  So  you  lock  Mammy  in  the 
nursery  with  the  children  before  you  stir  outside  and 
then  wait  until  I  call  you.  Perhaps  I  may  be  able  to 
reason  with  the  men.  In  any  case,  remember  how 
dear  you  are  to  me  and  don't  risk  your  life  unneces 
sarily.  Sol  and  Mr.  White  must  stay  back  at  first  also." 

"  Sartin,"  said  Tot,  nodding  her  head  obediently. 
"An"  I  wants  you  to 'member,  too,  Miss  Rita,  how 
dear  you  is  ter  us  all — Mas'r  Rick,  de  little  chillen, 
an'  ebrybody  dat  knows  yer,  an'  don't  yo'  go  an'  risk 
yer  own  life.  Ef  I  let  yer  do  it,  an'  hang  back 
myseff,  w'at  does  you  tink  dey  would  tink  about  me  !" 

"•Nonsense,  Tot  !  the  case  is  very  different.  The 
only  honorable  thing  I  have  been  able  to  discover 
about  most  Southern  men  is  that  they  are  usually 
deferential  to  white  women,  and  they  might  treat  me 
with  some  sort  of  respect,  which  they  would  never 
show  to  you." 

For  some  time  they  sat  laying  their  plans.  Mean 
while  Miss  Nancy,  having  passed  Rick's  door  and 
seeing  Sol  in  the  room,  went  in  and  insisted  upon 
taking  his  place.  Rick  allowed  it,  for  he  wished  to 
question  Aunt  Nancy.  As  soon  as  they  were  alone 
he  asked,  suddenly, 

"  Has  anything  happened  this  morning  to  make 
Rita  nervous  ?" 

"  I  should  say  there  had  !"  exclaimed  she,  thrown 
off  her  guard.  "  Sakes  alive  !"  she  added,  thoroughly 
frightened,  "  I  didn't  mean  that  at  all  !  Guess  I'm 
out  o'  my  head  !" 

"  You  are  not  out  of  your  head  at  all,"  he  replied, 
decidedly.  "  Something  has  happened  which  Rita 
has  asked  you  to  keep  from  me,  and  you  meant  to  do 


204  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

it,  but  forgot  yourself.  Depend  upon  it,  since  I  know 
there  is  something  wrong,  it  will  harm  me  less  to  hear 
the  whole  story  than  to  remain  in  suspense.  If  you 
tell  me  I  won't  trouble  Rita  about  it  at  all ;  but  if  you 
won't,  I  shall  insist  upon  knowing  the  whole  from  her." 

"Good  airth  !"  cried  Aunt  Nancy,  "what  a  scrape 
I've  got  myself  inter,  to  be  sure  !  But  I  knowed  it ! 
I  knowed  I'd  tell  it  the  fust  chance.  Miss  Rita 
didn't  hev  any  idee  what  sort  of  a  woman  I  be,  er  she 
wouldn't  a-telled  me  a  word,  though  she  couldn't  help 
it  very  well,"  remembering  how  it  occurred. 

"But  what  is  it?"  asked  Rick. 

"  This  mornin'  when  the  doctor  was  here,"  and 
Rick  was  sure  she  never  spoke  in  so  low  a  tone  be 
fore,  "  Miss  Rita  was  a-talkin'  to  him  fer  the  best 
part  of  an  hour.  You  was  asleep  when  he  went  away, 
so  she  went  in  the  nursery  an'  was  a-talkin'  ter  Tot. 
When  you  waked  up  I  went  ter  call  her,  an'  I  heered 
her  say  sotnethin'  'bout  sojers  comin'  to  'tack  a  sick 
man,  an'  when  she  found  out  I  heered  her,  she  turned 
to  an'  telled  me  Dr.  Cathcart  was  afraid  to  come  any 
more.  Thet's  all  I  know,  true's  the  world,  but  I 
don't  believe  its  all  she  knows  by  a  long  sight !  I 
ain't  scairt,  but  I  intend  to  keep  my  eyes  open,  even 
ef  I  dunno  enough  to  keep  my  mouth  shet !" 

Rick  took  in  the  situation  at  a  glance,  and  for  a 
moment  his  face  paled  a  trifle,  not  for  himself,  for  he 
had  felt  careless  about  his  own  life  of  late  ;  but  the 
thought  that  Dolores  might  be  wounded,  or  perhaps 
killed,  in  endeavoring  to  defend  him,  as  he  knew  she 
would,  was  something  he  could  not  contemplate 
calmly.  Suppose  his  illness  did  take  a  serious  turn — 
suppose  he  should  become  delirious  in  spite  of  his 
efforts  at  self-control — what  could  that  one  woman 
do  alone  ?  True,  there  was  Sol,  and  Tot  and  Mr. 
White,  who  might  render  her  some  assistance,  but 
the  able-bodied  men  on  the  plantation  were  gone. 
The  women  and  children  would  be  panic-stricken 
did  the  fact  become  known  ;  it  was  best  to  keep  it  as 
secret  as  possible. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  265 

"Aunt  Nancy,"  he  said,  "I  beseech  you  not  to 
mention  this  to  any  one  else.  Keep  a  sharp  watch 
and  report  to  me  all  you  learn." 

"I  will,"  she  answered,  "and  as  nobody  else  '11 
think  to  ask  me  anything,  I  shan't  forgit  myself  an' 
tell  it." 

Rick  asked  for  a  drink,  and  as  she  rose  to  give  it  to 
him  Dolores  entered  the  room. 

"  I  think  the  children  want  you  for  a  change,"  she 
said  to  the  old  lady,  smiling.  "  It  is  time  for  another 
powder,  and  so  I  will  take  my  place  here  now." 

"  She's  afraid  I'll  tell  him,"  thought  Aunt  Nancy, 
smiling  a  little  to  herself  as  she  left  the  room.  "  What 
a  fool  I  be,  anyhow  ?  I  never  did  hev  much  wit,  an' 
I  seem  to  grow  wuss  an'  wuss  as  I  git  older  !" 

Meanwhile  Rick  watched  Dolores,  as,  putting  on  a 
smile  for  him,  she  came  near  to  his  bedside,  gave  him 
his  medicine,  smoothed  his  bed,  bathed  his  hot  face 
and  eyes,  gave  him  a  cool  pillow  and  fanned  away  the 
troublesome  flies. 

"I  am  sure  you  are  better,"  she  said  ;  "but  don't 
you  think  if  I  were  to  have  Sol  and  Dick  move  you 
up  to  my  room  you  would  be  more  quiet  ?" 

It  was  hard  to  say  no  when  he  felt  the  answer 
would  give  her  pain,  but  he  could  not  consent  to  go 
when  he  knew  it  would  place  her  in  a  position  to  meet 
the  first  force  of  the  attack  alone. 

"  Dolores,"  he  said,  very  gently,  "  listen  to  me.  I 
am  not  so  ill  as  you  suppose.  I  am  quite  able  to  leave 
my  bed  at  this  moment,  only  I  think  it  will  be  better 
for  me  to  remain,  as  it  might  retard  my  recovery  were 
I  to  exercise  myself  now.  Don't  be  troubled,  my 
child.  If  I  am  better  to-morrow  I  will  think  seriously 
of  your  plan  about  going  to  New  York.  Only,  if  I 
do  go,  I  shall  take  you  and  the  children  and  Aunt 
Nancy,  besides  enough  of  the  servants  to  care  for  a 
household  there.  I  will  then  leave  you  in  charge 
and  join  the  army  of  the  North.  I  have  waited  too 
long  already." 

His  words  gave  her  great  comfort. 


266  SUBDUED    SOUTHKRN    NOBILITY. 

"  I  am  so  glad  to  hear  you  say  so,"  she  replied,  a 
smile  which  came  from  her  heart  breaking  over  her 
face.  "And  now  go  to  sleep,  if  possible,  that  you 
may  get  strong  and  well  as  soon  as  possible." 

He  closed  his  eyes,  and  at  length,  when  she  fancied 
he  slept,  she  rose  quietly,  unlocked  the  drawer  of  his 
secretary  where  he  kept  his  revolvers  (for  the  key 
was  in  the  lock),  took  them  carefully  out,  together 
with  their  cartridges  and  other  belongings,  and 
stealthily  carried  them  from  the  room.  Now,  Rick 
had  intended  asking  her  for  one  to  place  under  his 
pillow,  and  he  determined  to  do  so  still,  as  he  did  not 
wish  to  be  without  a  weapon  of  any  sort  ;  but  he 
would  not  frighten  her  by  appearing  to  discover  her 
in  the  act  of  removing  them,  so  he  concluded  to  sleep 
on  for  the  present  and  by  and  by  to  ask  her  to  bring 
him  one  before  she  retired  for  the  night. 

What  she  had  learned  from  the  physician  he  could 
not  tell,  but  he  had  heard  of  all  manner  of  outrages, 
and  he  did  not  doubt,  since  Dolores  seemed  so 
alarmed,  that  something  serious  was  meditated,  and 
he  only  wondered  that  he  had  not  suspected  some 
thing  of  the  kind  before. 

"I  do  not  fear  death,"  he  thought,  "but  I  don't 
care  to  meet  it  in  this  way.  If  my  life  is  spared 
until  I  have  time  to  do  so,  I  will  set  my  house  in  order, 
take  Dolores  and  the  children  where  they  will  be  out 
of  harm's  way,  and  join  the  Union  army  as  soon  as 
possible.  It  is  hard  to  be  obliged  to  take  up  arms 
against  the  land  in  which  I  was  born,  and  where  my 
home  and  all  landed  possessions  lie.  It  must  be  a  des 
perate  cause  which  would  lead  me  to  do  it  ;  but  the 
cause  is  desperate — I  think  no  one  could  deny  that. 
Perhaps  the  step  will  exasperate  my  neighbors  so 
much  that  I  may  never  be  able  to  live  here  again  in 
any  sort  of  security,  but  I  don't  care  to  call  a  land 
mine  where  one  cannot  express  his  opinions  and  live 
up  to  them  (so  they  come  within  the  pale  of  the 
law),  in  at  least  comparative  security  to  himself  and 
family." 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  267 

And  then  a  heaviness  came  over  his  brain,  and  a 
languor  through  his  whole  system  that  was  almost 
painful.  Through  his  half-opened  eyes  he  saw 
Dolores  enter  the  room  again  and  then  he  fell  asleep. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

THE    ATTACK. 

Dolores  felt  certain  the  attack  would  be  made  at 
night,  and  the  more  she  thought  over  the  matter  the 
more  convinced  she  became  that  it  would  not  be 
delayed.  Ever  since  the  capture  of  Vicksburg  there 
had  been  Union  troops  scattered  at  times  through 
Mississippi,  and  she  was  positive  that  the  rebels,  who 
were  represented  as  home  on  furlough,  would  not 
deem  it  advisable  to  remain  long,  as  they  were  liable 
to  capture  at  any  time. 

She  now  remembered  hearing  that  there  was  a  small 
body  of  Union  soldiers  encamped  not  five  miles  dis 
tant,  at  least  they  were  there  two  days  before,  and  if 
they  had  not  already  received  marching  orders  all 
might  yet  be  well.  If  she  had  only  shown  some 
presence  of  mind  and  sent  to  the  commanding  officer 
for  a  guard  as  soon  as  she  received  Dr.  Cathcart's 
warning  ! 

However,  it  might  not  be  too  late  now.  But  whom 
could  she  send  ?  There  was  Mr.  White,  who  was 
gray-haired  and  rather  feeble,  being  obliged  to  walk 
with  a  cane  on  account  of  being  partially  crippled 
with  rheumatism.  Then  there  was  Sol,  Tot,  and 
other  women  servants,  but  would  the  General  listen  to 
their  complaint  ?  No  doubt  persons  who  besought  him 
had  been  provided  with  guards,  but  in  many  cases  they 
betrayed  them  into  the  enemy's  hands.  If  she  could 
go  herself !  But  she  dared  not  leave  Rick  and  the  chil 
dren,  for  the  attack  might  possibly  be  made  in  her 
absence.  She  had  no  trusty  messenger  after  all — but 
wait  !  Aunt  Nancy  had  never  expressed  herself 
afraid  of  anything  but  a  gun.  She  could  be  trusted. 


268  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

and,  as  she  had  heard  Rick  say  Miss  Nancy  was  an 
unmistakable  Yankee,  no  doubt  the  General  would  be 
far  from  suspecting  her  of  treachery.  She  stole  out 
of  the  room  and  met  Miss  Nancy  in  the  hall.  To  draw 
her  aside  into  the  parlor  was  the  work  of  a  moment. 

"  Aunt  Nancy,"  she  said,  earnestly,  "have  you  ever 
been  to  Milton  ?" 

"  Goodness,  yes,  child." 

"Are  you  afraid  of  Union  troops?" 

"  Mercy,  no,  Miss  Rita.  But  what  on  airth  does 
ail  you  ?" 

"  I  heard — no  matter  how — that  there  is  to  be  an 
attack  upon  Idlefield,  for  the  purpose  of  murdering 
Rick,  by  some  rebels  who  are  now  home  on  furlough. 
Could  you  go  to  the  commanding  Union  officer, 
stationed  a  mile  this  side  of  Milton,  and  ask  him  for 
half  a  dozen  soldiers  to  protect  some  women  and  chil 
dren,  and  a  man  too  ill  to  leave  his  bed?" 

"  I  knowed  it  !"  Miss  Nancy  cried,  in  her  old  war- 
whoop  tone  and  accent.  "  I  knowed  it,  child,  ever 
sense  mornin'.  But  don't  be  scairt ;  I'll  go,  an'  I 
won't  come  back  till  I  bring  someb'dy.  Good  airth  ! 
shall  I  ride,  drive  or  walk  ?  Bring  me  my  bonnet. 
Tot,  bring  my  gingham  bonnet  so  I  won't  need  a 
sunshade.  I  knowed  there'd  be  a  squirmish  o'  some 
sort  !" 

"  Hush,"  Dolores  said,  softly ;  "  I  don't  want  Rick 
wakened,  or  any  one  to  know  why  you  are  going." 

"  That's  me  all  out !"  exclaimed  Miss  Nancy  in  a 
disgusted  tone.  "  I  haint  got  no  sense  !" 

"Yes  you  have,"  returned  Dolores,  "plenty  of  it, 
or  I  could  not  rely  upon  you  as  I  do." 

"  Bless  yer  heart,  child,  I  won't  disappint  ye  ! 
Never  you  fear  !" 

"I  know  it,"  said  Dolores.  "Get  ready  at  once, 
while  I  order  Sol  to  have  the  sorrel  harnessed.  You 
can  drive  her  in  safety,  and  you  needn't  spare  her 
either,  only  arouse  no  suspicion  in  the  mind  of  any 
one.  If  acco?ied,  simply  say  you  are  going  for  some- 
.bins:  for  a  sick  man,  and  so  you  are." 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  269 

Dolores  ran  out  and  ordered  the  sorrel  put  before 
a  light  open  carriage,  and  Sol,  seeing  her  earnest, 
troubled  face,  set  about  it  at  once,  asking  no  questions. 

"  Miss  Nancy  is  going,  an  errand  for  me  to  get 
something  for  Mr.  Gonzales,"  she  said.  Then  she 
returned  to  the  house,  where  the  old  lady,  who  had 
carefully  tied  on  her  shirred  sun-bonnet,  was  drawing 
over  her  wrinkled  hands  a  pair  of  cotton  gloves. 

"  Ask  for  the  Commanding  Colonel,"  Dolores  said  ; 
"  I  forget  his  name,  but  it  won't  matter.  Tell  him 
some  rebel  soldiers  are  coming  to  murder  a  sick  and 
almost  helpless  man,  and  beg  for  a  guard  of  at  least 
six  trusty  men  to  be  sent  at  once  to  watch  the  house." 

"  I  won't  leave  the  Giner'l,  whoever  he  is,  until  I  see 
them  air  six  men  start  out  ;  an'  I  won't  let  the  grass 
grow  under  my  feet  till  I  git  there,  neither.  Don't 
worry,  them  rebels  ain't  a-goin'  to  'tack  nobody  afore 
night,  an'  long  afore  that  time  I'll  be  back  with  my 
body  guard.  Good  airth,  just  think  of  it  !  Me  at  my 
time  o'  life  waited  on  by  six  men  to  once  !  Mebbe 
they  won't  come  with  me,  though.  I  dunno  ;  it'll  be  jest 
as  the  Giner'l  says.  Hope  old  sorrel  don't  come  up  on 
three  legs  to-day.  I  swan  if  I  didn't  think  them  air 
Succession  sogers  was  a-goin'  to  steal  every  hoss  on 
the  place  while  you  was  gone — they  did,  purty  nigh. 
But  here's  old  sorrel  hitched  up  to  the  waggin.  Good 
bye,  Rita,  I'll  be  back  in  a  jiffy." 

Dolores  watched  the  faithful  old  woman  drive 
away.  It  was  now  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  ;  she 
could  not  return  before  five,,  and  she  might  be  absent 
longer.  Five  miles  an  hour  was  a  ^low  pace,  but  old 
Sorrel  was  not  gifted  with  wonderful  speed,  and  Miss 
Nancy  might  be  detained,  perhaps.  However,  the 
difference  of  an  hour  or  so  mattered  little  ;  the  only 
important  thing  was  to  have  the  guard  there  before 
dark,  and  there  was  little  doubt  about  that,  unless  the 
men  had  already  received  marching  orders. 

Seeing  that  the  children  were  quiet  and  comfortable 
in  good  Tot's  care,  with  Mammy  near  in  case  of  need, 
and  leaving  word  for  Mr.  White  and  Sol  to  be  wifV:::i 


2'/0  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

call  if  needed,  Dolores  went  into  Rick's  room  and 
found  him  wide  awake. 

"  Don't  think  I  have  neglected  you,"  she  said,  "  but 
I  had  a  few  matters  to  attend  to,  and  you  seemed  to 
be  sleeping  quietly.  It  is  now  time  for  you  to  take 
another  powder." 

"Wait,"  he  said.  "  Dolores,  come  here,  I  want  to 
speak  with  you  a  moment." 

A  trifle  frightened,  she  approached  the  bedside. 

"  What  is  it,  Rick  ?"  she  said. 

"  Is  there  not  morphine  in  the  powders  you  are 
giving  me  ?" 

"  There  is  a  little." 

"  Then  I  must  take  no  more.  Child,  I  may  need 
all  my  faculties  to-night.  Don't  dull  them  with  any 
opiate.  Why  will  you  not  confide  in  me,  Dolores  ?" 
And  he  -put  out  his  hand  to  clasp  hers.  "  It  will  not 
frighten  me  nor  make  me  more  ill  than  I  am  now. 
We  are  on  the  eve  of  a  great  danger,  are  we  not  ?  I 
know  you  would  be  brave  and  face  it  alone,  but  I  am 
not  so  ill,  believe  me,  as  to  render  this  necessary. 
Tell  me  the  whole  truth  and  let  us  meet  the  danger 
hand  in  hand." 

"  Rick,"  she  answered,  "we  have  truly  been  threat 
ened  with  something  terrible,  but,  believe  me,  the 
danger  is  almost  past.  I  thought  it  best  not  to  tell 
you  this  morning,  for  two  reasons.  First,  I  feared  it 
would  prey  upon  your  mind  ;  and,  second,  though  Dr. 
Cathcart  is  a  physical  and  moral  coward  he  is  not 
hard-hearted,  and  I  promised  to  shield  him.  He 
warned  me  this  morning  ;  but  I  have  sent  Aunt 
Nancy  to  the  e'ncampment  of  Union  soldiers  near 
by  to  ask  for  a  strong  guard.  They  must  surely 
be  here  before  dark.  Do  you  not  think  all  will 
be  well?" 

"  I  do,  indeed,"  he  said.  "You  have  shown  your 
self  in  this,  as  in  all  things,  a  regular  general  for 
managing.  Still,  let  us  be  prepared  for  the  worst. 
Lay  my  dressing-gown  and  slippers  near,  close  and 
fasten  all  the  doors  and  shutters  in  the  house,  and 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  271 

bring  me  at  least  one  of   those  revolvers  you  carried 
away  so  slyly  a  short  while  ago." 

Dolores  blushed  scarlet. 

"  Did  you  see  me  ?"  she  said. 

"  Of  course  I  did.  And  now  promise  me  one  thing : 
If  anyone  does  come,  don't  you  go  to  the  door.  You 
take  the  children  and  remain  in  the  background  ;  I 
will  meet  anyone  who  may  chance  to  make  his  appear 
ance." 

"Why,  Rick,  I  don't  believe  you  could  stand  alone 
a  moment." 

"I  could,  under  excitement,  never  fear." 

"But  that  excitement  would  kill  you.  Luckily,  if 
all  is  well,  there  will  be  no  need  to  exert  yourself. 
Take  your  medicine,  and  then  I  will  go  and  fasten 
up  the  house,  and  bring  the  revolvers  immediately 
after." 

"  Don't  you  think  it  better  to  miss  it  once,  until 
Aunt  Nancy's  return,  at  least  ?" 

"  No,  for  if  persisted  in  I  have  strong  hopes  the 
fever  will  be  broken  in  spite  of  everything,  and  to 
miss  even  one  powder  might  be  losing  the  vantage 
ground  we  now  hold." 

"All  right,  little  woman,  I  will  do  as  you  wish." 

She  mixed  the  medicine  and  gave  it  to  him, 
brought  his  dressing-gown  and  slippers,  and  then,  clos 
ing  the  shutters  of  his  room,  she  ran  out  to  fasten  the 
others.  She  was  gone  for  some  time,  and  Rick,  with 
the  heavy  languor  of  the  fever  and  the  soothing  effect 
of  the  opiate  contained  in  the  powder,  in  the  face  of 
all  danger — though  he  apprehended  little  now — fell 
asleep.  Dolores,  having  closed  up  the  house,  was 
about  to  go  up  for  the  revolvers,  but  the  children 
waylaid  her,  and  she  paused  to  quiet  them  before 
going  up-stairs.  It  was  some  time  before  they  would 
release  her,  and  then,  glancing  into  Rick's  room  and 
seeing  he  was  slumbering  quietly,  she  stole  away. 

The  clock  in  the  hall,  as  she  passed  up  the  stair 
case,  pointed  to  five.  The  time  had  passed  quickly 
after  all  since  Aunt  Nancy's  departure,  and  Dolores 


272  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

felt  a  great  weight  removed  from  her  mind,  for  the 
old  lady  would  soon  return  and  all  real  danger  was 
past.  Still,  she  must  get  the  revolvers  as  she  had 
promised  ;  how  thankful  she  was  that  they  would  not 
be  needed  now.  Under  dire  necessity  she  felt  that 
she  could  use  one,  but  it  would  be  far  from  pleasant 
to  say  the  least,  and  by  this  time  she  had  reached  her 
room.  Taking  up  the  revolvers  she  was  about  to 
return,  when  she  paused  a  moment  to  look  from  her 
window  in  order  to  see  if  Aunt  Nancy  was  in  sight. 

With  the  first  outward  glance  her  heart  stood  still,, 
then  it  throbbed  painfully.  She  saw  a  man's  form 
hide  quickly  behind  the  trunk  of  a  huge  sycamore  ; 
another  had  suddenly  halted  in  the  middle  of  a  field 
near  by,  as  though  he  fancied  a  moving  figure  would 
be  observed  sooner  than  a  motionless  one  ;  a  third 
was  peering  out  from  a  bunch  of  shrubbery  upon  the 
farther  end  of  the  lawn  ;  and  she  saw  the  shadow  of  a 
fourth  clearly  outlined  upon  the  grass  behind  two 
large  trees,  whose  trunks  completely  hid  the  figure, 
casting  the  tell-tale  shade.  How  many  more  there 
were  she  knew  not,  for  all  this  she  saw  in  an  instant, 
and  like  lightning  also  flashed  the  thought  across  her 
mind,  that  so  long  as  she  remained  at  the  window 
without  appearing  to  see  them  just  so  long  would  they 
remain  hidden.  She  must  gain  time  somehow,  for 
Aunt  Nancy  might  not  return  for  an  hour  yet,  and  the 
guard  could  not  possibly  arrive  before  her.  There 
was  no  doubt  as  to  the  errand  of  the  men  she  saw, 
for  they  were  armed,  and  in  partial  uniform,  though 
they  had  evidently  attempted  to  put  on  citizens'  dress, 
and  had  only  been  prevented  because  such  articles  of 
gentlemen's  wearing  apparel  were  scarce  in  that 
vicinity. 

She  turned  away  from  the  window  a  moment  to 
put  the  revolvers  down  and  take  up  a  piece  of  sew 
ing  which  lay  near.  Then  she  sat  down,  with  her 
profile  to  the  window,  where  she  could  see  any  move 
ment  made  without  appearing  to  look,  and  began 
humming  a  song.  Low  and  uncertain  her  voice  was 


SUHDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  273 

at  first,  but  gradually  she  braced  her  nerves  and  drew 
it  under  control ;  and,  after  humming  in  a  low  tone, 
she  broke  out  in  a  clear,  sweet  voice,  the  air  being 
one  of  her  own,  set  to  a  portion  of  the  angel  chorus 
in  Mrs.  Browning's  "  Drama  of  Exile." 

"  Future  joy  and  far-light 
Working  such  relations, 
Hear  us  singing  gently 
Exiled  is  not  lost. 
God,  above  the  starlight, 
God,  above  the  patience, 
Shall  at  last  present  ye 
Guerdons  worth  the  cost." 

She  paused  a  moment,  examining  her  sewing  closely, 
and  glancing  carelessly  out.  The  man  in  the  field 
had  crept  behind  a  rock  ;  the  shadows  discovered  two 
behind  the  trees,  and  the  fourth  was  completely  hidden 
in  the  shrubbery.  Again  her  voice  took  up  the  song 
where  she  had  left  it : 

"  Patiently  enduring, 
Painfully  surrounded, 
Listen  how  we  love  you, 
Hope  the  uttermost. 
Waiting  for  that  curing, 
Which  exalts  the  wounded, 
Hear  us  sing  above  you — 
Exiled,  but  not  lost !" 

Dolores  sang  almost  as  sweetly  as  she  played  ; 
there  seemed  a  touch  of  magnetism  in  both.  When 
she  paused  again  she  glanced  steadily  out  once  more. 
From  the  position  of  the  shadows  the  men  seemed  lis 
tening — she  could  see  no  one  now  ;  so  she  changed 
her  position  and  her  song,  this  time  singing  a  light, 
merry  air  with  a  tripping  measure  to  the  words  of  a 
love-song,  pausing  occasionally,  because  it  seemed  to 
her  she  could  not  sing  another  note,  and  to  make  the 
singing  irregular,  as  though  she  did  not  dream  any 
listeners  lingered  near.  She  sang  and  sewed  for 
what  seemed  to  her  an  age,  and  until  her  audience- 
seemed  to  grow  restless.  She  saw  the  shadows  move, 
and  when  they  had  disappeared  she  arose,  still  hum- 


274  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

ming,  took    her   revolvers  and   went   down-stairs  to 
Rick's  room. 

Going  gently  to  his  bedside,  she  found  he  was 
still  sleeping,  and  she  bent  over  him  a  moment,  her 
lips  breathing  softly  a  prayer.  Laying  a  revolver 
by  his  side  she  left  the  room,  which  opened  into  the 
hall,  and  closing  the  door  after  her,  locked  it  and 
put  the  key  into  her  pocket.  Next  she  went  and' 
bade  Tot  go  and  lock  up  Mammy  and  the  children 
in  the  nursery,  bidding  her  caution  Mammy  to 
keep  them  quiet  ;  after  which  she  went  back  to  her 
own  room,  sitting  down  again  at  the  window  with 
her  sewing,  and  beginning  a  Spanish  song,  an  ode  to 
Jiberty : 

"  i  O  lauro  inmarcesible,  6  glorioso 
Hado  de  nacion  libre,  quien  le  alcanza, 
Llamarse  con  verdad  puede  dichoso  ! 
i  O  santa  Libcrtad  !  tii  la  esperanza 
Eres  de  cuanto  espi'ritu  brioso 
El  despotismo  en  sus  mazmorras  lanza." 

Here  the  song  came  to  a  close,  for  one  shadow  had 
passed  out  through  the  field  to  meet  the  other  shadow, 
and  the  man  who  had  been  hiding  behind  the  rock 
rose  and  came  forward  to  join  the  two.  The  figure 
in  the  shrubbery  came  out  in  full  view  and  waited  the 
action  of  his  comrades,  who,  after  a  slight  pause, 
advanced  toward  him.  Then  the  four  walked  abreast, 
in  full  view  beneath  her  window. 

Dolores  glanced  downward,  showing  a  white  but 
calm  face,  and  as  she  did  so  four  heads  were  bared  in 
a  moment  in  the  most  respectful  manner. 

"  They  will  treat  a  woman  with  seeming  politeness 
one  moment,"  thought  Dolores,  "  and  murder  her 
husband,  father  or  brother  the  next.  If  I  can  only 
detain  them  a  little  longer  relief  must  come."  So 
she  bowed  and  waited  for  them  to  break  the  silence. 

"  Is  Mr.  Gonzales  within  ?"  asked  one,  in  a  respect 
ful  manner  and  tone. 

"He  is,"  she  answered,  "but  too  ill  to  leave  his 
bed.  Did  you  wish  to  see  him  ?'' 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  275 

"We  did,"  spoke  a  second,  more  roughly,  "  or, 
rather,  we  do  ;  and,  as  our  business  is  urgent,  will 
you  be  kind  enough  to  inform  him  that  we  are  here, 
and  ask  him  to  make  a  special  effort  to  rise  and  allow 
us  a  few  moments'  conversation  with  him  ?  We  will 
not  detain  him  long,  I  promise  you,"  with  a  laugh 
which  made  Dolores'  blood  run  cold. 

"  He  is  not  able  to  rise,  unfortunately,"  she  an 
swered,  in  as  calm  a  tone  as  she  could  command. 
"  If  you  will  leave  a  message  with  me  I  will  deliver  it 
as  soon  as  he  wakes,  and  I  have  no  doubt  he  will  give 
it  due  attention,  provided  he  is  not  delirious.  In  that 
case,  perhaps,  I  can  attend  to  it  myself." 

She  made  her  answer  as  long  as  possible,  though 
almost  too  nervous  to  form  her  words,  fully  appreci 
ating  Queen  Elizabeth's  craving  for  a  moment  of 
time,  when  she  felt  that  death  was  near. 

"  It  will  be  impossible  to  deliver  our  message  to 
you,"  said  the  second  spokesman,  gruffly.  "We 
have  something  to  say  to  him  which  is  not  well  suited 
for  a  lady's  ear." 

"Whatever  you  have  to  say  to  Mr.  Gonzales," 
she  replied,  "  must  be  said  in  my  hearing,  as  I  am  his 
nurse  and  physician  both.  I  am  unable  to  get  a 
physician  to  attend  him  ;  even  Dr.  Cathcart  has  re 
fused,  though  he  told  me  coolly  that  Mr.  Gonzales 
would  undoubtedly  become  delirious,  and  since  I  am 
obliged  to  prescribe  for  him  myself  I  recommend 
utter  quiet.  I  am  sorry  to  seem  discourteous,  gentle 
men,  but  you  cannot  see  Mr.  Gonzales  to-day,  what 
ever  your  errand  may  be.  He  is  too  ill  to  decide  for 
himself,  and  it  is  my  place  to  act  for  his  good.  I 
will  not  have  him  disturbed  with  business  of  any 
kind,  and  therefore  your  errand  must  wait." 

"  I'm  sorry  to  contradict  a  lady,"  was  the  answer, 
in  a  tone  of  irony,  "  but  our  errand  cannot  and  will 
not  wait.  We  are  going  to  see  Rick  Gonzales,  by  fair 
means  or  foul.  We  are  going  to  transact  our  business 
with  him,  and  when  we  are  done  with  the  coward  you 
will  have  no  reason  to  fear  the  effects  of  the  fever 


276  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOlilLITY. 

upon  him.  You  see  it  would  be  wrong  to  let  it  prove 
fatal  while  we  were  so  near.  It's  a  shame  for  a  man 
who  was  born  to  be  hung  to  be  allowed  to  die  in  his 
bed." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?''  she  cried. 

"  You  know  very  well  what  we  mean.  We  don't 
intend  to  take  the  trouble  to  hang  him,  for  we  have 
an  easier  way  of  accomplishing  our  purpose.  Open  the 
door  and  let  us  in  quietly,  and  we  promise  not  to 
harm  a  hair  of  your  head,  but  if  you  resist  us  I  will 
not  answer  for  the  consequences." 

"  I  forbid  you  to  enter!"  she  said.  "Surely  there 
is  law  enough  yet  existing  in  this  desperate  land  to  pro 
tect  a  peaceable  man  and  his  family  in  his  own  house." 

"  You  forget  that  for  the  present  martial  law  takes 
the  precedence." 

"Surely  martial  law  has  not  been  declared." 

"No  matter.     Each  man  is  a  law  unto  himself." 

"Then  the  law  of  defence  is  all  that  is  left  me.  I 
warn  you  that  if  you  enter  this  house  by  force  it  will 
be  at  your  peril." 

"  What  is  the  use,"  cried  one  of  the  men  who  had 
not  spoken  until  now,  "of  disputing  so  long  with  a 
woman  when  you  know  she  will  have  the  last  word  ? 
Without  doubt  the  door  is  fastened,  or  she  would  not 
stand  here  so  complacently  arguing  with  you.  We 
must  break  it  in,  and  we  may  as  well  do  it  first  as 
last.  You  act  as  though  we  had  an  eternity  be 
fore  us." 

Dolores  gave  a  quick  glance  without,  but  no  hint 
of  succor  was  near.  The  men  made  a  move  toward 
the  front  of  the  house,  and  she  hurriedly  rushed  to 
the  staircase,  hoping  Rick  had  slept  until  the  last 
moment,  for  she  knew  he  would  attempt  to  rush  out 
at  the  first  sound.  For  this  reason  she  had  locked 
him  in  and  detained  the  men  at  the  opposite  side  of 
the  house  without  noise  as  long  as  possible.  She 
glanced  at  the  clock  as  she  hurried  down.  To  her 
surprise,  with  all  her  singing  and  prolonging  the  con 
versation,  it  was  not  yet  six. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  277 

With  all  her  anguish  of  mind  she  was  perfectly 
calm,  and  she  thought  drearily  of  the  time  when 
she  had  fought  for  her  own  life  and  that  of  her 
infant  child,  with  Tot's  efficient  aid — fought  against 
not  death  alone,  but  a  bitter  bondage — and  how, 
the  struggle  over,  she  had  fallen  at  Rick's  feet  and 
besought  his  protection,  which  had  been  so  cheer 
fully  granted. 

"  If  I  can  only  save  his  life  now,  even  at  the  cost 
of  my  own,  I  shall  be  thankful,"  she  thought.  "  He 
would  then  care  for  my  child  as  his  own.  But,  oh  !  for 
the  dear  children's  sake,  God  grant  these  fiends  may 
not  murder  both  of  us  !"  She  looked  about  for  Tot, 
but  did  not  see  her,  though  she  was  certain  she  was 
close  at  hand. 

The  men  made  straight  for  the  front  door  and 
attempted  to  open  it.  It  was  locked,  a  state  of  the 
case  evidently  expected,  for  without  a  moment's  delay 
the  leader  thrust  the  butt  of  his  gun  through  the  nar 
row  window  at  the  side,  put  his  hand  through  the 
aperture  and  turned  the  key,  which  Dolores  had  failed 
to  take  from  the  lock.  He  tried  it  again,  but  the 
door  refused  to  open  ;  there  was  a  bolt  which  held  it 
still.  To  put  his  hand  through  the  broken  window  a 
second  time  and  draw  the  bolt  was  but  the  work  of 
an  instant,  however,  and  then  the  door  was  thrown 
open  suddenly. 

Dolores  stood  upon  the  staircase  on  the  lowest 
stair,  motionless  as  a  statue  and  colorless  as  marble. 
The  instant  the  man's  form  was  visible  through  the 
opening  of  the  door,  without  a  word  of  warning,  she 
fired — and  missed  him.  Before  he  advanced  another 
step,  however,  a  second  shot,  which  seemed  to  Dol 
ores  to  come  from  the  clouds,  struck  him  in  the 
breast.  He  dropped  his  gun  and  fell  to  the  floor, 
with  what  sounded  more  like  a  cry  of  surprise  than  a 
groan. 

Nothing  daunted,  the  man  who  stood  behind  him 
sprang  quickly  toward  Dolores,  not  offering  to  fire, 
but  in  order  to  wrest  the  revolver  from  her  hand,  as 


278  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

he  supposed  she  had  fired  both  shots.  She  stood  her 
ground,  firing  twice  as  he  approached,  the  second 
shot  taking  effect,  though  not  seriously  enough  to 
turn  him  from  his  purpose.  He  caught  her  roughly 
by  the  hand,  but  the  blood  gushed  from  his  side 
as  he  did  so.  He  staggered  but  did  not  release  his 
hold  until  a  third  came  to  his  rescue. 

"  Take  the  pistol  away  from  the  bloody  she-devil, 
Tom,"  he  cried. 

As  the  first  relaxed  his  hold,  Dolores  looked  up 
and  saw  there  were  two  unwounded  men  in  the  hall, 
besides  those  near  her,  making  five  in  all,  and  Sol 
was  struggling  with  one  of  them  near  the  door.  She 
fired  twice  with  desperate  effort,  not  hoping  to  harm 
any  one,  but  because  she  knew  she  could  not  retain 
her  revolver  against  the  force  of  these  men,  and  she 
wished  to  empty  it  before  it  came  into  their  posses 
sion.  It  was  a  small  seven-shooter,  and  still  con 
tained  two  charges.  While  she  struggled  to  retain 
it  a  voice  from  behind  her  called  out, 

"Put  down  yer  head,  Miss  Rita!" 

It  was  Tot,  who  had  fired  the  first  effective  shot 
from  the  head  of  the  stairs,  where  she  had  stationed 
herself,  and  Dolores  was  quick  to  obey  the  order. 
But  the  man  behind  her  was  quite  as  quick,  and 
Tot's  shot  came  crashing  over  the  heads  of  both, 
striking  the  man  Dolores  had  already  wounded  and 
bringing  him  to  the  floor.  Meanwhile  the  revolver 
was  wrenched  from  Dolores'  hand,  just  as  Tot,  spring 
ing  down  the  staircase,  shot  once  more,  this  time  with 
better  effect,  for  the  man  staggered  and  seemed  about 
to  fall.  Recovering  himself,  he  turned,  and,  aiming 
at  Tot,  fired.  She  fell  forward  almost  at  Dolores'  feet 
without  a  word. 

Dolores,  thinking  her  dead,  uttered  a  cry.  She 
had  been  roughly  shaken  in  the  fight  for  her  revolver, 
and  her  right  wrist  terribly  sprained.  The  pain 
and  the  thought  that  Tot  was  dead  and  herself 
'lisabled  nearly  crazed  her.  She  gave  one  horri 
fied  glance  at  the  scene,  saw  Sol  still  struggling, 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  279 

and  Mr.  White  hobbling  to  her  aid,  while  the  soldier 
who  had  captured  the  revolver  cried  out : 

"  Rick  keeps  a  devilishly  efficient  body-guard,  d — n 
him  !" 

She  struggled  against  the  feeling  of  fear,  bid 
ding  herself  be  brave,  for  no  doubt  she  alone  would 
soon  be  left  to  care  for  the  children.  She  heard 
Rick  trying  to  open  the  door,  calling  to  the  men  out 
side  that  he  was  there  and  would  meet  them  at  once 
if  they  would  help  him  break  down  the  door.  Great 
waves  of  mingled  faintness  and  darkness  swept 
over  her,  and,  bending  over  Tot's  body,  she  felt  as  if 
sense  and  reason  were  leaving  her. 

But  suddenly  her  form  thrilled  with  new  life  and 
hope,  for  Tot's  hand,  warm,  steady  and  strong  as 
ever,  closed  firmly  over  hers.  There  was  promise  in 
the  silent  clasp — an  assurance  of  protection  stronger 
than  the  loudest  word-promise  could  have  given — and 
with  it  Dolores  took  heart,  for  she  knew  Tot  was  at 
worst  but  slightly  injured,  and  as  she  still  held  her 
revolver,  she  was  only  waiting  for  a  good  opportunity 
to  use  it.  

CHAPTER   XL. 

HOW     IT     ENDED. 

Perhaps  the  thought  of  having  a  guard  for  Idlefield, 
while  he  himself  was  so  helpless,  was  a  relief  to  Rick's 
mind,  or,  possibly,  the  fever  oppressed  his  senses  with 
increasing  heaviness  and  languor,  aided  by  the  narco 
tic  he  had  taken.  However  this  may  have  been,  he 
slept  very  soundly,  half-waking  once,  to  find  his 
revolver  by  his  side,  and  thinking  he  heard  the  voice 
of  Dolores  singing  to  the  children  in  a  distant  room. 
He  smiled  a  trifle  in  a  helpless  sort  of  contentment 
as  he  closed  his  eyes  again,  all  sounds  and  realities 
seeming  far  away,  and  then  he  slept  once  more. 

Again  he  was  half-wakened  by  a  crash,  followed 
quickly  by  the  turning  of  a  key  and  the  drawing  of  a 
bolt,  significant  sounds  all,  and  sufficient  to  rouse 


280  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

him,  though  at  first  he  half-wondered  if  they  were 
not  the  imaginings  of  a  dream.  But  immediately 
after  there  came  two  sharp  reports  of  a  revolver  ;  a 
;ry,  followed  by  two  other  shots  in  quick  succession  ; 
a  scuffling  sound,  two  or  three  muttered  oaths  fol 
lowed,  and  a  low  moan  which  he  felt  sure  broke  from 
the  lips  of  Dolores — all  these  were  too  real  to  admit 
of  a  moment's  doubt.  With  feverish  haste  he  had 
thrown  on  his  dressing-gown,  and  now  he  thrust  his 
feet  into  his  slippers,  caught  his  revolver  and  rushed 
for  the  door. 

It  was  locked  !  He  shook  it  in  his  frenzy,  hop 
ing  the  key  might  be  upon  the  other  side  and 
some  one  would  open  it.  He  heard  the  rough 
remark  about  his  body-guard,  heard  Mr.  White  cry 
that  Sol  was  shot,  and  then  he  shouted  in  a  voice 
that  seemed  hollow  and  strange  even  to  himself  : 

"  Here  I  am,  you  cowards  !  Open  the  door  !  Did 
you  come  to  war  with  helpless  women  ?" 

"  Helpless !"  cried  a  voice  from  the  other  side  of 
the  door,  whose  owner  was  evidently  striving  to  break 
it  down.  "  If  this  woman  and  that  she-devil  she  has 
with  her  are  helpless,  God  deliver  us  from  the  women 
who  are  strong  !" 

"  If  the  South  had  an  army  of  such,"  continued  a 
second  voice,  whose  owner  had  come  to  assist  in 
forcing  the  door,  "  we  would  have  been  in  New  York 
by  this  time  and  the  Yankees  driven  into  Canada." 

By  this  time  the  door  gave  way.  Rick  stood  to  one 
side  as  it  fell,  and  then  presented  himself  before  his 
foes.  He  was  calm  and  haughty  ;  his  cheeks  were 
sunken  and  deadly  pale,  his  eyes  bright,  but  set  far 
back  in  their  sockets.  There  was  not  the  slightest 
expression  of  fear  in  face  or  manner,  and  he  looked 
as  he  was  :  a  man  very  ill — perhaps  dangerously  so — 
•vho  had  been  roused  from  his  bed  to  fight  for  his 
tfe,  and  who  was  determined  to  sell  it  as  dearly  as 
possible. 

He  took  in  the  situation  in  a  moment.  Two  of  the 
nen  were  evidently  dead,  and  Dolores  was  en- 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  281 

-deavoring,  though  all  in  vain,  to  stanch  the  blood 
which  flowed  from  Sol's  side.  One  other  man  was 
wounded  ;  he  had  a  revolver  in  his  hand,  the  one 
which  had  been  taken  from  Dolores,  and  which  still 
contained  one  charge.  Two  were  unharmed  and 
a'rmed  with  rifles,  but  all  three  seemed  dazed  for  a 
moment  at  sight  of  Rick,  for  they  saw  how  ill  he 
really  was. 

The  wounded  man  was  the  first  to  recover  himself, 
and,  raising  the  revolver,  he  aimed  at  Rick's  breast. 
Dolores,  observing  this  action,  struck  up  the  weapon 
a  second  before  he  pulled  the  trigger.  None  too 
soon,  for  the  shot  went  in  the  casement  above  Rick's 
head. 

This  was  too  much  for  the  villain,  who,  though 
wounded,  had  expressed  a  sort  of  brutal  delight  as  he 
aimed,  being  sure  of  his  victim.  With  some  difficulty 
lie  rose  to  his  feet  and  made  a  dash  at  Dolores. 

"You're  a  devil!"  he  cried.  "You  are  a  devil! 

and  I'll  be "  Here  he  surged  to  the  floor,  his 

sentence  ending  in  a  groan  instead  of  the  oath 
intended. 

Rick  shot  twice,  off  hand,  and  as  he  did  so  he  saw 
Tot  rise  quickly  as  far  as  her  knees  and  fire  twice 
also.  Unfortunately,  both  shot  the  same  man,  and 
the  other,  quite  unharmed,  fired  at  Rick  with  a  sure 
and  deliberate  aim,  for  he  fell  seriously  wounded. 

Tot  fired  again  but  missed,  and  Dolores  caught  up 
the  revolver  Rick  had  been  using.  As  her  right  hand 
was  helpless,  she  took  it  in  her  left,  aiming  at  the 
last  of  the  men,  who  was  preparing  to  give  Rick  an 
other  shot,  fearing  he  might  not  be  mortally  wounded. 
Both  were  deterred  a  moment  from  their  purpose  by 
the  appearance  of  Mammy,  who,  destitute  of  any 
other  weapon,  now  came  hastily  forward  to  the  scene 
of  slaughter,  actually  bearing  in  her  hands  what  she 
had  so  often  threatened  to  use  upon  those  who 
chanced  to  offend  her — "a  kittle  o'  bilin'  \vatah." 

"  Foah  de  Lord  !"  she  exclaimed,  wrathfully,  as 
she  interposed  her  fat  form  between  Rick  and  the 


282  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

rebel  soldier,  regardless  of  his  aim,  "  I'se  gwine  ter 
scald  de  life  outen  ebery  one  o'  yo'  murdahin'  rebels." 

She  raised  the  kettle  and  threw  its  contents  toward 
the  man,  who  dodged  it,  with  a  shout  of  derisive 
laughter,  which  he  fancied  Dolores  echoed,  for  she 
gave  a  sharp,  wild,  hysterical  cry.  The  space  of  a 
breath  later  he  recognized  his  mistake,  as  half  a  dozen 
armed  Union  soldiers  poured  into  the  hall,  Aunt 
Nancy  bringing  up  the  rear. 

Their  first  act  was  to  seize  and  bind  the  man  ;  of 
the  other  assailants,  two  were  dead  and  two  wounded. 

"  You  are  too  late  !"  .Dolores  said,  as  she  sank  to 
the  floor  and  drew  Rick's  head  upon  her  knee.  "  Poor 
Sol  is  dead  and  Rick  is  surely  dying.  Is  there  a 
surgeon  among  you  ?" 

There  was  none,  but  one  man  came  forward  and 
drew  Rick's  head  into  a  more  comfortable  position, 
while  he  began  to  search  for  his  wounds. 

At  this  Rick  opened  his  eyes. 

"  Don't  grieve,"  he  said  to  Dolores,  faintly,  but 
cheerily.  "  I  am  not  quite  well  or  whole,  but  I  am 
worth  several  dead  men  yet.  My  wounds  are  in  my 
left  arm  and  my  right  side,  and,  while  they  are  de 
cidedly  painful,  I  do  not  believe  either  is  fatal." 

"  Only  for  Tot,"  said  Dolores,  "  I  know  they  would 
have  murdered  us  all." 

"  The  murdering,"  interposed  the  captured  rebel, 
"  was  chiefly  upon  the  other  side.  This  woman  here 
winged  one  man  and  killed  another  when  we  made 
our  entrance.  Her  chief  of  staff  there,  who  played 
death  so  perfectly  we  thought  it  was  real,  disabled 
another,  and  she  and  Rick  shot  the  fourth  between 
them.  She  missed  me  afterwards,  that  is  the  only 
thing  which  surprises  me.  But  she  and  her  mistress 
were  about  to  finish  me  when  that  absurd  old  wench 
came  out  with  her  boiling  water.  Your  coining  saved 
my  life,  though,  perhaps,  if  he  isn't  mortally  wounded, 
it  saved  Rick's,  too.  As  for  the  nigger  you  lost  he 
knocked  Tom  down  and  would  have  got  his  arms 
away  from  him,  only  I  turned  and  clubbed  him  witn 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  283 

•my  rifle,  and  Sam  yonder  brought  him  down  with  a 
shot  from  the  revolver  we  took  from  that  Spanish 
captain.  We  might  have  killed  her  over  and  over 
again,  but  we  rather  liked  her  pluck  and  thought  she'd 
be  harmless  if  we  got  her  revolver  away.  We  might 
have  shot  Rick  dead  the  moment  he  came  to  the  door, 
but  he  looked  like  a  man  who  had  got  out  of  his 
grave  to  come  and  fight  us,  and,  being  tender-hearted, 
we  hadn't  the  nerve  to  send  him  back  again  imme 
diately." 

His  flippant  tone  and  manner  jarred  painfully  upon 
the  ear  of  Dolores,  and  she  begged  that  he  might  be 
removed. 

"  Put  the  wounded  men  in  one  of  the  vacant  cabins," 
she  said,  "and  see  that  poor,  brave  Sol  is  laid  de 
cently  in  another.  If  there  is  a  horse  to  be  had, 
let  some  one  go  quickly  and  bring  the  army  surgeon, 
and  let  him  come  prepared  to  stay  at  least  through 
the  night." 

Her  orders  received  respectful  attention  at  once. 
Rick  declared  his  position  was  as  comfortable  as 
possible,  therefore,  Dolores  would  not  have  him 
moved  until  the  surgeon  came.  She  dispatched  Tot 
to  quiet  the  children,  who  were  screaming  at  the  top 
•of  their  voices,  having  been  left  alone  by  Mammy, 
who  escaped  through  the  window.  Tot  was  not  to 
allow  them  to  come  out,  as  the  hall  was  still  in  a  fear 
ful  state,  and  the  sight  might  frighten  them  still  more, 
which  would  have  a  bad  effect  upon  Rick,  who  ought 
to  be  kept  perfectly  quiet. 

Mr.  White,  Aunt  Nancy  and  three  of  the  Union 
soldiers  were  carrying  out  the  directions  Dolores  had 
given  about  the  rebels,  and  Mammy,  with  tearful  eyes 
and  wrathful  ejaculations,  proceeded  to  remove  the 
blood  and  all  traces  of  the  affray  as  far  as  possible. 

Dolores,  never  moving  a  muscle  lest  she  might  give 
Rick  pain,  sat  wiping  his  brow  and  speaking  to  him 
cheerfully,  keeping  her  right  hand  well  out  of  sight. 
She  forgot  nothing.  The  children  must  retire ;  she 
would  come  in  later,  tell  them  a  story  and  kiss  them 


284  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NoUlLlTY. 

good-night.  Tot  was  to  soothe  them,  if  possible,pand 
get  them  something  to  eat ;  and  Rick's  bed  must  be 
aired  and  made  ready  for  him.  Mandy  and  Mammy 
worked  faithfully,  and  when  the  surgeon  came  he 
found  everything  in  order. 

Rick  was  laid  upon  the  bed  and  his  wounds 
dressed.  One  ball  had  passed  through  his  right  side, 
making  a  wound  not  serious  to  a  man  in  perfect 
health,  and  a  ball  had  lodged  in  his  left  arm,  near  the 
shoulder.  The  wound  was  probed  and  the  ball  ex 
tracted,  and  Dolores  would  not  leave  until  all  was 
done.  Forgetting  that  the  children  needed  her, 
Rick  insisted  upon  her  telling  him  about  the  approach 
and  attack  of  the  rebels,  which  she  did  in  a  modest 
and  unassuming  way.  Her  wrist  was  growing  very 
painful,  but  she  was  resolved  to  say  nothing  until  she 
had  left  the  room,  when  she  would  send  for  the  sur 
geon  to  eat  his  supper  and  have  him  examine  it. 

"  I  must  go  and  see  the  children  now,"  she  said, 
at  last.  "  They  are  waiting  for  me." 

"  Certainly,"  said  Rick.  "  I  have  been  selfish  in 
keeping  you  from  them  so  long  ;  but  before  you  go, 
Rita,  let  me  thank  you  for  all  you  have  done  for  me 
to-day." 

He  put  out  his  hand  and  she  gave  him  her  left. 

"  The  other,"  he  said.  "  Do  you  not  know  the  left 
is  unlucky  ?" 

She  made  an  attempt  to  raise  it  but  could  not,  and 
she  set  her  lips  as  the  pain  almost  made  her  reel. 

"What  is  it?"  he  said,  a  suspicion  of  the  truth 
dawning  upon  his  mind.  "  Doctor,  bring  the  light, 
please,  and  examine  her  hand.  It  is  hurt,  I  fear." 

"It  is  really  nothing,"  Dolores  said,  "though  I  in 
tended  to  show  it  to  the  doctor  as  soon  as  I  had 
spoken  to  the  children." 

She  lifted  it  up  with  the  other,  showing  a  wrist 
and  fingers  swollen  to  twice  their  natural  size,  while 
the  former  was  discolored  in  spots. 

"  Is  it  possible,"  Rick  exclaimed,  "  you  have  borne 
the  pain  of  that  all  these  hours  without  a  word  of 


SUISDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  285 

complaint  ?  Don't  you  think  her  a  pretty  good  soT- 
dier,  doctor  ?  She  certainly  has  put  me  to  shame." 

"I  think  her  a  heroine,"  the  surgeon  said,  very  de 
cidedly,  as  he  proceeded  without  a  moment's  delay  to 
bathe  her  wrist  and  prepare  a  bandage  for  it. 

"Is  that  your  only  injury  ?"  Rick  asked. 

"  It  is,  indeed,"  she  replied,  "  and  it  amounts  to 
very  little,  though  it  is  rather  painful,  I  confess." 

"  No  doubt  it  has  hurt  you  more  than  both  my 
wounds  have  pained  me,"  said  Rick,  contritely,  "  and 
yet  I  allowed  you  to  sit  in  a  most  uncomfortable  posi 
tion  and  hold  my  head  for  a  long  time.  I  am  really 
very  much  ashamed  of  myself." 

"You  need  not  be,"  the  surgeon,  Dr.  Ohlsen,  re 
plied.  "  It  was  very  necessary  for  you  to  remain 
quiet.  Mrs.  Castellar  was  wise  in  ordering  it,  and  it 
is  well  for  you  that  you  obeyed  her  directions.  Her 
hurt  was  painful,  but  yours  might,  by  bad  treatment, 
have  been  rendered  exceedingly  dangerous.'' 

"  Do  you  consider  them  so  now  ?"  Rick  asked,, 
quietly. 

"Not  at  all.  With  care  you  will  pull  through,  but 
you  must  still  be  quiet  and  begin  by  not  speaking 
again  to-night,  except  it  is  absolutely  necessary." 

Dolores  now  rose  to  leave  the  room,  and  for  the 
first  time  thought  of  her  appearance.  Her  dress, 
being  black,  showed  no  trace  of  the  combat  ;  but  she 
wore  an  apron,  a  pretty  affair  of  muslin  and  lace,  and 
it  was  red  with  blood.  She  removed  it  and  threw  it 
over  her  arm,  to  lay  aside  before  going  to  see  the 
children,  and,  as  Rick  was  watching  her,  she  said  in 
a  light  tone  : 

"  It  is  your  blood,  Rick,  and  I  am  going  to  keep  it 
as  a  souvenir  of  the  struggle." 

The  children  had  fallen  asleep,  rather  discon 
tentedly,  Tot  said,  so  Dolores  went  up  to  her  room,, 
smoothed  her  hair  and  laid  the  apron  away. 

"  It  will  not  be  more  interesting  to  others,"  she 
thcught,  "than  are  Aunt  Nancy's  relics  ;  but  I  have 
so  little  in  the  way  of  remembrancers  of  the  past. 


286  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

If  Rick  lives,  this  will  be  a  bright  day  in  my 
memory,  though  I  was  never  before  in  more  torture 
of  mind — and  that  is  saying  much — than  when  I 
thought  Tot  dead  and  Rick  advancing  to  meet  his 
murderers.  What  my  life  would  be  with  those  two 
gone  out  of  it  I  shudder  to  think.  Tot  has  always 
been  faithful  and  efficient,  a  true  child  of  her  mur 
dered  mother — free  to  risk  her  life,  if  need  be,  for 
me — and  Rick  is  as  kind  as  any  brother." 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

DR.   OHLSEN. 

Dr.  Ohlsen,  the  army  surgeon  who  dressed  Rick's 
wounds,  was  a  young  man  who  had  received  his  diploma 
only  a  year  before.  Having  his  fortune  to  make,  and 
considering  a  position  as  surgeon  in  the  army  one  cal 
culated  to  give  him  much  experience  in  a  short  time,  he 
obtained  the  humble  appointment  of  assistant-surgeon 
in  a  regiment  which  was  just  leaving  for  the  seat  of 
war,  soon  after  he  took  his  degree  of  M.  D.  He  was 
only  twenty-one  years  of  age  at  this  time,  but,  being 
a  thorough  student,  thorough,  in  fact,  in  all  he  un 
dertook,  he  proved  as  efficient  in  his  profession  as 
many  an  older  man,  and  soon  became  a  favorite  in  the 
regiment. 

He  was  of  Norwegian  descent,  though  born  in  the 
United  States,  and  he  had  spent  some  years  at  a 
school  in  Germany.  He  had,  therefore,  met  with 
nearly  all  phases  and  conditions  of  life,  and  had 
learned  the  secret  of  winning  the  good-will  of  those 
around  him,  not  only  by  deserving  it,  as  he  usually 
did,  but  by  the  possession  of  an  extremely  agreeable 
manner,  or,  as  his  companions  were  won't  to  express 
it,  "Ohlen  is  one  of  those  taking  fellows  whose  way  is 
irresistible."  It  was  not  strange,  therefore,  when  from 
ill  health  the  regular  surgeon  of  the  regiment  was 
obliged  to  resign  his  post,  that  Dr.  Ohlsen  was  called 
upon  to  fill  his  place.  His  position  and  salary  being 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  287 

good,  and  having  no  one  dependent  upon  him  (as  he 
was  an  orphan,  without  brother  or  sister),  he  began  to 
think  of  laying  aside  something  for  a  rainy  day,  or, 
rather,  something  to  subsist  upon  while  building  up  a 
profession  in  some  pleasant  locality  when  his  services 
were  no  longer  needed  with  his  command. 

It  chanced  that  both  Rick  and  Dolores  were 
favorably  impressed  with  this  young  physician. 
At  first,  as  the  regiment  was  in  a  very  healthy  state 
and  he  had  little  to  do,  he  remained  all  night 
with  Rick,  fearing  if  his  fever  returned  with 
full  force  it  might  produce  inflammation  in  his 
wounds  and  render  them  fatal  ;  and  afterward,  when 
he  felt  the  danger  was  past,  it  became  a  habit  for  him 
to  spend  every  night  at  Idlefield,  until  his  regiment 
received  marching  orders,  as  it  relieved  the  mono 
tony  of  his  life,  which  recently  had  but  little  change. 

As  Dolores  shared  his  watch  a  portion  of  the  first 
night,  her  little  Rose  (or  Baby  Rose,  as  she  was  usu 
ally  called,  and  often  her  name  was  dropped  entirely 
and  the  infantile  adjective  used  alone)  was  left  with 
Tot  and  Master  Halbert  in  the  nursery.  The  child 
was  quite  large  for  her  age,  and  looked  at  least 
twelve  years.  She  was  very  like  her  mother,  with 
coal-black  hair  and  large  dark  eyes,  but  from  her 
father  she  had  inherited  a  very  fair  complexion. 

Rick  passed  the  first  part  of  the  night  favorably, 
and  as  there  was  no  longer  any  need  lor  Dolores  to 
remain,  Dr.  Ohlsen  insisted  upon  her  taking  some 
sleep,  as  she  required  it  after  the  anxiety  and  excite 
ment  of  the  previous  day.  About  three  in  the 
morning  she  went  up  to  her  room,  feeling  quite  se 
cure  with  the  guard  on  watch  below,  and  Rick  sleeping 
soundly  and  naturally,  she  soon  fell  into  a  refreshing 
slumber. 

Not  half  an  hour  after  she  left,  the  physician  was 
startled  by  what  seemed  to  him  a  cry  of  terror  pro 
ceeding  from  the  next  room.  He  was  reclining  upon 
the  lounge,  but  he  rose  hastily  and  went  out  into 
the  hall  to  ascertain  the  cause.  He  opened  the 


288  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

door  of  the  dining-room  and  saw,  by  the  light  that 
streamed  through  the  open  door  of  the  nursery  be 
yond,  a  young  girl,  almost  too  large  to  be  called  a 
child,  and  looking  unusually  tall  in  her  long  white 
gown,  with  her  dark  hair  floating  over  her  shoulders 
and  reaching  nearly  to  her  waist.  She  seemed  very 
much  frightened,  and  was  trembling  with  excitement. 
After  regarding  him  a  moment  in  the  dim  light,  she 
seemed  favorably  impressed  with  his  appearance,  for 
she  came  to  him  and  put  out  both  hands  in  a  manner 
that  was  extremely  childish. 

"What  is  it?"  he  asked,  kindly.  "Has  anything 
troubled  you  ?" 

"I  want  my  mamma,"  she  said,  in  a  manner  which 
showed  she  was  accustomed  to  having  her  wishes 
granted  without  delay. 

"  Who  is  your  mamma?"  he  asked. 

"Don't  you  know  ?"  she  returned.  "Why,  she  is 
Aunt  Rita.  Won't  you  take  me  to  her,  please  ?"  and 
she  came  closer,  squeezing  her  plump  hands  still 
farther  into  his  own.  "And,  oh!  don't  stay  here  in 
the  dark,  but  tell  me  where  my  mamma  is." 

He  saw  she  had  either  been  frightened  by  some 
•dream  or  strange  reality,  probably  the  former,  so  he 
.led  her  out  into  the  hall  where  the  light  was  burning, 
and  sitting  down,  took  her  upon  his  knee.  She  crept 
close  to  him,  taking  the  shelter  of  his  arms  as  a  mat 
ter  of  course,  not  knowing  that  the  situation  was  to 
him  somewhat  novel,  for  in  his  whole  life  he  had  had 
little  to  do  with  women  and  children. 

"  Now  tell  me  what  wakened  you  ?"  he  said  in,  his 
gentlest  tone. 

"  I  went  to  bed,"  she  said,  "  and  my  mamma  prom 
ised  to  come  and  kiss  me  good-night.  I  waited  for 
her  a  long  time,  but  she  never  came.  Halbert  went 
to  sleep,  but  I  kept  awake.  At  last — why  it  seemed 
like  forty  nights  afterward — mamma  came  to  me 
and  said  she  could  not  bid  me  good-night  because 
a  bad  man  killed  her,  and  the  blood  was  all  running 
over  her  face.  Was  she  dead,  do  you  think,  or  was 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  289 

I  asleep  ?  I  don't  know.  I  opened  my  eyes  and 
could  see  nothing,  but  my  heart  was  going  thump, 
thump,  and  it  is  going  so  yet.  I  started  to  come 
out  and  see  if  I  could  find  mamma,  but  it  was 
dark  and  I  was  afraid.  Do  you  think  I  dreamed 
what  I  saw  ?" 

"Certainly,"  he  replied,  reassuringly.  "Your 
mamma's  wrist  was  hurt  a  little,  and  I  had  to  keep 
!ier  to  bind  it  up,  so  you  were  asleep  when  she  went 
in  to  kiss  you  good-night.  I  heard  her  tell  your  uncle 
—Mr.  Gonzales  is  your  uncle,  is  he  not  ?" 

"  Uncle  Rick  ?  Why,  of  course ;  but  where  is 
mamma  now  ?" 

"  She  is  very  tired  and  has  gone  to  bed.    You  don't 
wish  to  disturb  her,  do  you  ?" 
"  N-n-o,"  hesitatingly. 

"  And  you  will  go  back  to  bed  yourself,  like  a  good 
child,  will  you  not  ?" 
"VVill  you  come,  too?" 
"  And  tuck  you  up  ?     Certainly. 
"  Oh,  no  !"  and  she  clung  to  him.     "You   wouldn't 
leave  me  alone,  would  you  ?" 

"Not  unless  you  wish  it,  child  ;  but  I  must  sit  in  the 
room  with  your  uncle,  for  he  may  want  something." 
"  Let  me  sit  with  you — please,  let  me  sit  with  you  !" 
and  she  crept  up  and  put  her  arms  around  his  neck. 
"I  won't  say  a  word — not  one.  Ah,  you  may  trust 
me,  my  mamma  says  so,"  earnestly. 

Here  was  a  dilemma.  As  she  crept  nearer,  the  doc 
tor  could  feel  her  heart  still  beating  violently. 

"  Poor  little  heart,  how  frightened  it  is  !"  he  said, 
and  then  he  bent  his  head  and  kissed  her. 

The  kiss  startled  him  a  trifle  ;  he  was  unused  to  giv 
ing  kisses.  But  the  child  received  it  quietly  ;  indeed, 
she  seemed  to  take  it  as  a  sort  of  anodyne,  for  it  cer 
tainly  had  a  soothing  effect. 

"  She  has,  no  doubt,  lived  in  such  an  atmosphere 
of  love  and  harmony,"  he  thought,  "that  a  harsh 
word  would  startle  her,  but  a  kiss  is  something  to  be 
expected." 


290  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

"Now,  I  know  you  are  going  to  take  me  with  you," 
she  said,  heaving  a  great  sigh  of  relief.  "You  are 
very  good  and  I  like  you." 

He  smiled.  Of  course  he  would  take  her.  No 
doubt  she  had  heard  the  dreadful  scenes  of  yesterday 
recited  until  she  became  nervous,  arid  they  were  re 
peated  in  her  dreams.  Falling  asleep  without  her 
mother's  good-night  kiss  had  only  made  things  worse. 
It  was  a  new  thing  for  him  to  attempt  to  amuse  and 
comfort  children,  but  there  was  something  very  satis 
fying  about  it  after  all. 

"  What  is  your  name  !"  he  asked. 

"Its    Baby,    almost    always;    but    sometimes    it's. 
Rose." 

"  Well,  Baby,"  he  said,  "  I'm  going  to  take  you  in 
your  uncle's  room  and  tuck  you  up  upon  the  lounge 
Will  that  do  ?" 

"Beautifully,  if  you'll  only  sit  where  I  can  see 
you,"  and  she  smiled  for  the  first  time,  showing  her 
white,  pearly  teeth  and  looking  as  pretty  as  possible, 
which  moved  the  doctor  to  kiss  her  once  more. 

This  time  the  kiss  was  returned. 

"You  are  the  new  doctor,  aren't  you?". she  in 
quired.  "I'm  glad,"  as  he  nodded,  "for  Tot  said 
you  were  going  to  make  Uncle  Rick  well,  and  I  said 
you  were  my  doctor." 

"And  so  lam,"  he  replied.     "Shall  we  go  in  now?" 

"  Yes,"  and  she  sprang  from  his  knee,  waiting,  how 
ever,  to  give  him  her  hand  before  she  advanced  a 
step  into  the  room. 

He  led  her  to  the  lounge  and  lifted  her  upon  it. 
Before  lying  down  she  busied  herself  for  a  moment 
in  trying  to  cover  up  her  ten  little  pink  toes  with  the 
skirt  of  her  gown,  but  when  she  laid  down  the  toes 
peeped  out  in  spite  of  her  precaution,  whereupon 
the  doctor  came  to  her  assistance.  He  tucked  the  re 
fractory  toes  under  a  shawl  which  he  found  hang 
ing  across  a  chair  and  drew  the  other  portion  of  it 
up  under  her  chin,  but  she  threw  one  hand  over  her 
head,  as  if  to  say  she  always  slept  with  that  one  out, 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  291 

smiled  her  thanks,   and,   according   to    her   promise, 
did  not  speak  a  word. 

A  little  later  there  was  a  stir  from  Rick,  and  the 
doctor  went  to  the  bedside,  quite  forgetting  for  the 
moment  his  second  patient  upon  the  lounge  ;  but  lit 
tle  Rose  never  lost  sight  of  him  for  a  moment,  her 
bright  dark  eyes  watching  his  every  movement  with 
a  sort  of  earnest  satisfaction,  mingled  with  a  certain 
pride  of  ownership,  since  he  had  acknowledged  him 
self  as  her  especial  property.  What  would  Hal  say 
in  the  morning  when  he  found  she  had  spent  a  por 
tion  of  the  night  in  his  father's  room,  and  in  such 
grand  company,  too  ?  The  thought  of  this  great 
triumph  over  Halbert,  and  how  very  envious  he  would 
be  when  duly  informed  of  all  that  had  happened,  was 
very  comforting  indeed. 

When  Rick  relapsed  into  slumber  the  doctor  re 
turned  to  his  charge  upon  the  lounge,  and  was  sur 
prised  to  find  the  bright  eyes  still  open,  though  they 
had  lost  all  shadow  of  fear.  The  plump  form  was 
still  closely  tucked  in  the  shawl,  mummy  fashion, 
showing  the  child  had  not  stirred.  Evidently  there 
was  no  more  sleep  for  the  restless  black  eyes  that 
night,  unless  some  sedative  influence  was  brought  to 
bear  upon  them. 

Dr.  Ohlsen  drew  an  ottoman  to  the  side  of  the 
lounge,  and,  taking  the  little  hand  outside  the  cover 
in  one  of  his  own,  began  to  brush  the  hair  lightly 
back  from  the  child's  forehead  with  the  other.  The 
eyelids  drooped  a  little  at  first,  half-shyly,  which 
showed,  in  the  absence  of  fear,  my  little  lady  might 
be  a  trifle  bashful  after  all.  Lower  and  lower  the 
white  lids  fell,  half-lifting  occasionally  to  shoot  out  a 
gleam  of  perfect  content,  and  then  they  closed  alto 
gether  ;  yet  the  doctor  did  not  move  from  his  posi 
tion,  but  sat  stroking  the  soft  hair  lightly,  and 
apparently  studying  the  lineaments  of  the  beautifully 
molded  childish  face. 

How  sweet  she  was,  and  gentle  and  trusting,  and 
how  perfectly  she  kept  her  promise  not  to  speak  a 


2qi  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

word  ;  this  was  what  the  doctor  thought  as  he  watched 
beside  her.  Well,  the  child  of  such  a  mother  as  hers 
must  have  some  strength  of  character,  and  no  doubt 
she  would  prove  a  most  interesting  study.  There 
was  the  charm  of  freshness  and  novelty  about  her,  at 
least,  and  here  there  flashed  across  the  doctor's  mind 
something  akin  to  regret — a  feeling  that  his  childhood, 
yes,  and  his  manhood  too,  had  missed  much  that  was 
gentle  and  tender  in  its  dearth  of  association  with 
women,  and  especially  little  children.  It  was  some 
thing  so  pleasant  to  remember — so  different  from 
anything  in  his  experience — that  this  little  child  had 
sought  his  arms  for  comfort  and  sympathy,  sought 
them  with  a  certainty  of  receiving  shelter,  though  she 
had  never  met  him  before  that  night. 


CHAPTER   XLII. 

DR.    CATHCART    IS    SURPRISED. 

For  two  weeks  after  what  Miss  Nancy  persisted  in 
calling  the  "squirmish"  Dr.  Ohlsen  was  a  daily 
visitor  at  Idlefield.  Rick  improved  slowly,  yet  he 
certainly  did  improve.  There  had  been  some  fever, 
which  had  been  duly  checked  by  the  watchful 
physician,  and  now  there  was  no  danger  except  the 
patient  caught  cold.  The  doctor  was  loth  to  leave 
him  before  he  recovered,  but  at  last  was  obliged  to 
do  so,  as  his  regiment  received  marching  orders. 

"  Keep  us  informed  of  your  movements,"  Dolores 
said,  "  and  I  will  occasionally  drop  you  word  to  let 
you  know  how  Mr.  Gonzales  gets  along  ;  and  if  ever 
you  are  near  us,  whether  here  or  in  New  York  City, 
remember  that  we  will  always  be  more  than  glad  to 
see  you." 

The  doctor  thanked  her,  and  then  took  leave  of 
Rick  very  regretfully,  as  his  words  and  manner 
plainly  evinced,  while  Rick  declared  he  had  not  the 
courage  to  say  good-by,  and  wished  the  thing  were 
impossible.  Miss  Nancy  gave  him  a  hearty  shake  of 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  293 

the  hand  and  a  vigorous  blessing.  Mammy  bobbed 
her  tui  baned  head  two  or  three  times  and  wiped  her 
eyes  upon  her  apron,  and  then  the  doctor  went  out 
upon  the  veranda,  where  little  Rose  awaited  him, 
rather  tearfully,  for  she  had  been  told  this  was  his 
last  visit,  and  she  would  probably  see  him  no  more. 

"  I  don't  see  why  you  are  going,  doctor,"  she  said, 
as  he  sat  down  in  a  chair  and  drew  her  to  his  knee. 

"  I  don't  want  to  go  one  bit,  Baby,  but  I  must,"  he 
replied,  stroking  back  her  hair  as  he  spoke,  and  won 
dering  why  it  was  he  regretted  leaving  this  child 
worst  of  all. 

"  Why  must  you  ?  Does  anybody  make  you  go  ? 
Are  you  going  because  you  are  afraid  of  any  one  ?" 

"  Oh,  no,  child,  not  that.  But,  you  see,  long  before 
I  saw  you  at  all  I  promised  to  go  with  this  regiment 
•of  soldiers  and  attend  to  all  who  were  sick  or  wounded. 
They  are  going  away  and  I  must  go  with  them,  for 
if  I  don't  I  will  break  my  word." 

"Oh!"  acknowledging  the  necessity  for  his  going 
for  the  first  time,  as  she  twisted  the  ends  of  his  sash 
about  her  fingers,  her  lips  too  unsteady  to  say  any 
thing  more. 

"  You  are  going  to  be  a  good  girl  while  I  am  away, 
are  you  not  ?" 

"  While  you  are  away  ?"  she  repeated,  eagerly. 
"  Are  you  ever  coming  back  again  ?  Hal  said  you 
were  not — that  I  would  never  see  you  again." 

"  I  am  coming  back — if  I  live,"  he  said,  reassur 
ingly.  "  It  may  be  a  long  time — it  may  not  be  until 
the  war  is  over  and  you  are  grown  to  be  a  young  lady, 
and  perhaps  you  will  have  forgotten  me  then." 

"  /  forget  ?"  reproachfully. 

"  No,  you  will  not,  I  hope.  But  I  must  go.  Good 
bye,  dear,"  and  kissing  her  gently  he  took  his  de 
parture. 

She  wound  one  arm  around  a  pillar  of  the  veran 
dah  and  watched  him  ride  away — watched  him  very 
gravely,  though  there  were  no  tears  in  her  eyes.  Be 
fore  he  mounted  his  horse  he  turned,  lifted  his  hat 


294  SUKDUKJ)    SOUTHERN     NOBILITY. 

and  threw  her  a  kiss  and  a  smile.  The  kiss  she  re 
turned,  but  gave  no  answering  smile.  When  he  was 
gone  out  of  sight  she  went  into  the  house,  and 
Dolores,  watching  her  then  and  all  the  day,  saw  how 
grave  and  womanly  she  had  grown. 

Boys  arrive  at  manhood's  estate  gradually,  but  with 
girls  the  change  from  childish  pleasures  to  womanly 
thoughts  and  aims  nearly  always  come  suddenly,  and 
with  Baby  Rose  it  came  that  day,  with  her  first  deep 
regret,  her  first  fully  realized  sorrow.  Nothing  that 
she  really  missed  went  out  of  her  life  when  her  Aunt 
Rose  died.  Her  uncle  and  her  mother  were  scarcely 
graver  afterward  than  before,  and  she  had  more  of 
her  mother's  society  than  she  had  ever  enjoyed  pre 
viously.  But  there  was  nothing  in  mother-love  which 
could  comfort  her  to-day  ;  indeed,  she  did  not  men 
tion  that  she  was  sad  at  all,  as  though  half  ashamed 
of  the  feeling.  And  Hal,  if  he  only  knew  how  she 
felt,  would  laugh,  she  was  sure. 

The  two  wounded  rebels  were  attended  by  the  phy 
sician  until  shortly  before  the  regiment  marched  ; 
then,  as  both  were  on  the  road  to  recovery  (though 
one  would  be  maimed  for  life),  they  were  transferred 
as  prisoners  of  war  to  the  camp.  Sol  was  buried, 
and  many  of  the  servants  left  Idlefield  altogether,  as 
they  had  been  doing,  in  fact,  ever  since  their  emanci 
pation.  A  few,  anxious  to  see  something  of  the 
world,  had  gone  of  their  own  accord,  but  the  greater 
number,  in  fact  all  who  had  left  recently,  had  been 
induced  to  do  so  by  threats  or  bribes.  It  would 
never  do  for  Rick's  system  of  paying  his  servants  to 
become  in  any  degree  a  success,  for  the  example  was 
very  bad. 

"  You  see  it  won't  work,"  these  wiseacres  would 
say.  "  Why,  Rick  Gonzales  paid  all  his  old  slaves 
princely  wages  and  they  deserted  him  after  all,  just 
the  way  our  slaves — that  we  paid  nothing  and  kicked 
about  the  same  as  we  used  to  do — did  to  us.1' 

So  far,  though  the  slaves  had  been  released  from  a 
bitter  bondage,  the  Emancipation  was  as  yet  chiefly  in 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  295 

name.  It  was  hard  for  them  to  throw  aside  the  idea 
that  they  were  not  in  subjection  to  their  old  masters, 
and  to  white  men  generally,  and  their  labor  was  taken 
without  any  compensation  being  offered.  When  Mr. 
White  began  to  look  about  the  plantation  in  cotton- 
planting  time,  he  found  he  had  not  an  able-bodied 
negro,  Sol,  who  was  his  chief  help  in  everything  per 
taining  to  the  place,  having  been  killed  in  the  attack 
on  the  house. 

The  day  Dr.  Ohlsen  left  Idlefield  Mr.  White  was 
allowed  by  Dolores  to  go  into  Rick's  room  and  have 
a  long  conversation. 

"  It  is  of  no  consequence,"  Rick  said.  "  If  you 
planted  a  crop  it  would  be  destroyed,  either  before  or 
after  it  was  gathered.  As  soon  as  I  am  well  enough 
I  am  going  to  close  up  the  house  and  take  the  family 
North.  Do  not  be  concerned,  you  shall  go  with  us." 

"  But  it  will  be  a  great  loss,"  said  Mr.  White. 

"  Fortunately,  I  shall  not  feel  it.  I  have  abundant 
means  to  live  upon  during  my  lifetime  without  ever 
receiving  another  penny  from  Idlefield." 

"  But  if  we  leave  it  the  ground  will  all  grow  up 
with  weeds,  and,  no  doubt,  the  house  will  be  burned." 

"  It  would  be  burned  just  as  quickly  if  we  remained. 
No,  White,  I  am  going  away.  It  would  be  wrong 
for  me  to  keep  my  family  exposed  to  such  danger, 
especially  this  season,  as  there  is  to  be  a  Presi 
dential  election,  and  the  feeling  against  us  will  likely 
be  more  bitter  than  ever.  All  you  have  to  do  is  to 
put  the  place  in  as  good  order  as  possible  for  leav 
ing.  Board  up  the  doors  and  windows  of  the  de 
serted  negro  cabins  and  see  that  whatever  live  stock- 
there  is  on  the  place  - 

"  No  trouble  about  that,  sir.  The  rebel  soldiers 
(and  some  I  suspect  are  not  soldiers  at  all)  are  carry 
ing  off  everything  as  fast  as  possible,  even  to  the 
fowls." 

"Very  well,  we  will  begin  and  eat  up  the  fowls 
ourselves.  I  am  truly  thankful  that  my  father  did 
not  live  to  see  this  day,  for  it  would  have  broken  his 


296  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

heart  to  see  the  old  place  thus  deserted  and  despoiled. 
Should  they  burn  the  house  while  I  am  gone,  when 
the  country  is  at  peace  once  more  I  will  return  and 
rebuild  it — that  is,  if  I  am  spared.  If  not,  perhaps 
Halbert  may." 

The  old  man  went  out  sorrowfully  to  begin  to  carry 
out  his  master's  instructions. 

"  I  never  saw  a  place  I  loved  like  this,"  he  said  to 
Dolores,  as  he  passed  her  in  the  hall,  "and  I  cannot 
bear  to  leave  it." 

"But  we  may  all  return  some  day,"  she  replied. 

"  Not  all,"  he  answered.     "I  never  shall." 

A  week  passed,  and  though  Dolores  watched  Rick 
carefully  and  dressed  his  wounds  according  to 
Dr.  Ohlsen's  directions,  he  did  not  seem  to  gain 
strength  or  get  better  in  any  way,  and  a  fear  began 
to  creep  into  her  heart  that  he  would  never  live  to 
leave  Idlefield.  She  knew  of  no  physician  for  miles 
around  except  Dr.  Cathcart,  and  she  had  no  idea  that 
he  could  be  induced  to  come.  There  were  no  rebel 
soldiers  about  at  present,  but  he  would  feel  that  his 
actions  were  watched,  and  would  not  dare  do  any 
thing  that  would  bring  upon  himself  a  day  of  reckon 
ing  when  they  did  return.  He  could  not  afford  to 
incur  their  displeasure,  and  would,  no  doubt,  refuse  to 
attend  Rick  even  now,  though  he  thought  as  she  did, 
that  unless  he  received  medical  aid,  and  that  speedily, 
he  would  die. 

She  thought  it  all  over  as  she  sat  with  him  one 
day  and  noted  how  like  a  skeleton  he  was  growing,  and 
how  his  strength  had  gone  so  he  could  scarcely  hold 
a  glass  of  water  to  his  lips.  He  dozed  fitfully  when  he 
slept  at  all,  and  seldom  spoke  except  when  addressed. 

"  He  must  have  help  or  he  will  die,"  she  said,  "for 
I  do  not  understand  his  case  at  ajl.  There  is  no  one 
but  me  to  act,  and  I  must  procure  a  physician  without 
delay." 

She  saw  Mr.  White  passing  the  house,  and  went 
out  to  meet  him. 

"  Ts  okl  Sorrel  still  left  us  ?"  she  asked  him. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    MOBILITY.  297 

"Yes,"  and  the  old  man  smiled.  "She  is  twenty 
years  old,  blind  in  one  eye,  and  sometimes  is  very 
lame,  so  nobody  will  take  her.  If  she  had  been  fit  to 
eat  she  would  have  been  stolen  long  ago." 

"  Harness  her  at  once  and  drive  directly  to  Dr. 
Cathcart's,"  she  said.  "Tell  him  that  I  wish  him  to 
come  and  attend  Mr.  Gonzales  immediately,  for  I 
think  him  dangerously  ill." 

The  old  man  looked  troubled. 

"  Is  he  worse,  then  ?"  he  said. 

"  Yes.  Not  suddenly  so,  but  he  has  been  growing 
worse  gradually  ever  since  Dr.  Ohlsen  left." 

The  old  man  nodded  and  hobbled  away,  and  a  few 
moments  later  Dolores  saw  him  set  out. 

She  awaited  anxiously  his  return,  and  at  length  saw 
him  coming  back  alone.  Unable  to  endure  the  sus 
pense,  she  went  out  to  meet  him. 

"  Is  he  coming  ?"  she  said. 

He  shook  his  head. 

"I  tried  all  I  could  to  persuade  him,  but  he  said  it 
would  be  sure  death  to  him  and  might  not  help  Master 
Rick." 

"  Is  Sorrel  able  to  go  to  Milton  and  back  again  to 
day  ?''  she  asked. 

"  She  is  in  good  condition  to-day,  but  I  think  that 
would  be  taxing  her  almost  too  far." 

"Poor  beast,"  she  said.  "White,  unharness  her, 
rub  her  down  well  and  give  her  some  oats,  and  as 
soon  as  she  is  cool  and  rested  harness  her  again 
and  bring  her  around  to  the  door.  I'm  sorry  to 
abuse  the  faithful  thing,  but  if  she  knew  how  great 
was  the  necessity  she  would  go  willingly." 

She  patted  the  horse  and  spoke  to  her  in  a  tone 
which  caused  the  intelligent  animal  to  neigh  in  an 
swer,  and  then  she  went  into  the  house. 

"  Baby,"  she  said,  "  come  here,  my  child.  I  am 
going  away  for  an  hour  or  two  presently,  and  I  want 
you  to  sit  by  Uncle  Rick's  side  until  I  return.  Don't 
speak  to  annoy  him,  but  give  him  a  drink  whenever 
he  wishes  it,  and  if  he  asks  for  me  say  I  am  coming 


290  SUUDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

soon.  I  am  going  to  ask  Tot  to  keep  Hal  out  of  the 
room,  but  if  he  should  come  in  don't  speak  to  him 
much  ;  just  say  to  him  I  forbade  you  to  talk.'' 

"  Yes,  mamma,"  she  answered,  "  I'll  be  good  and 
remember  all  ycu  say." 

Arranging  everything  for  Rick's  comfort,  Dolores 
went  up  to  her  room  as  soon  as  he  fell  asleep 
again,  and  dressed  for  going  out.  She  put  on  a 
traveling  dress  she  had  worn  in  Italy,  and  it  had 
a  pocket  for  carrying  a  revolver.  When  she  had 
donned  the  dress  she  made  sure  the  pocket  was  not 
empty. 

When  Mr.  White  brought  old  Sorrel  around  to  the 
door  Dolores  was  in  readiness.  Before  she  started  off 
she  had  a  few  words  of  conversation  with  Tot  and 
Miss  Nancy,  and,  though  Mammy  could  not  dis 
tinguish  anything  that  was  said,  she  felt  quite  sure 
Miss  Nancy  did  not  once  declare  that  she  "  knowed 
it,"  and  from  that  Mammy  argued  that  something 
unusual  was  about  to  be  done.  However,  she  tried 
her  best  to  "  possess  her  soul  in  patience,"  though 
she  could  see  that  Aunt  Nancy  was  restless  and 
troubled,  and  kept  a  constant  watch  upon  the 
road  from  the  time  Dolores  rode  away. 

Meanwhile  old  Sorrel  seemed  bent  upon  dis 
tinguishing  herself.  Not  once  did  Dolores  need  to 
urge  her  forward,  though  again  and  again  she  told 
her  what  a  splendid  animal  she  was,  and  if  she 
kept  on  at  that  rate,  she  would  be  the  means  of 
saving  her  master's  life.  Possibly  Sorrel  failed  to 
understand  the  words  fully,  but  one  thing  she  seemed 
to  know  perfectly,  and  that  was  that  she  was  pleasing 
the  woman  who  was  calling  her  pet  names  and  prais 
ing  her,  so  she  pricked  up  her  ears  contentedly  and 
went  right  on,  reigning  up  of  her  own  accord  at  Dr. 
Cathcart's  door. 

Dolores  did  not  stop  to  tie  her — in  fact,  there  was 
little  need— but  she  paused  to  give  her  a  lump  of 
sugar,  to  pat  her  bony  shoulder,  and  declare  she  was 
the  loveliest  horse  that  ever  lived.  While  this  was 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOUILITY.  299 

going  on  she  caught  a  glimpse  of  Dr.  Cathcart  within 
the  house,  and,  bowing,  she  turned  and  went  in  at 
once,  fearing  he  might  escape  her.  Fortunately  he 
was  alone  in  the  parlor,  the  very  thing  she  desired, 
and  he  had  his  medicine  case  near,  and  his  hat  in  his 
hand  as  though  he  was  just  going  out. 

"Really,  Mrs.  Castellar,"  he  began,  "  this  is  insuffer 
able.  Am  I  to  be  besieged  in  my  own  house  to  go  to 
a  place  which  will  endanger  my  life  ?" 

"  Dr.  Cathcart,"  she  answered,  "  are  you  any  better 
than  other  men  who  have  been  murdered  in  their  own 
houses  since  the  war  began  ?  It  appears  that  the 
only  law  now  recognized  here  is  that  'might  makes 
right.'  ' 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?"  he  asked,  looking  into  her 
determined  face  with  great  uneasiness. 

"  Simply  this  :  You  are  to  put  on  your  hat,  bring 
your  medicine  case,  and  come  with  me  to  attend 
Rick  Gonzales  immediately." 

"  And  suppose  I  refuse  ?"  loftily,  yet  unable  to  hide 
his  nervousness. 

"  If  you  do,"  she  said,  "I  will  blow  your  cowardly 
heart  out,  even  though  1  find  it  to  be  infinitely 
smaller  than  I  deem  it  now  !"  And,  to  the  doctor's 
terror  and  astonishment,  she  drew  forth  a  revolver 
from  the  pocket  of  her  dress,  in  readiness  to  execute 
her  threat. 

"  Surely  you  are  not  in  earnest  ?"  he  ventured, 
though  he  grew  white,  even  to  the  lips. 

"  Do  not  trifle  with  me,"  she  said,  warningly.  "  I 
am  desperate.  Will  you  go  with  me  ?" 

"  I  will  go." 

"Take  up  your  medicine  case  and  precede  me  to 
the  carriage." 

He  obeyed,  for  there  was  something  more  awful  in 
her  face  and  tone  of  command,  if  possible,  than  in 
the  weapon  in  her  hand,  though  it  must  be  confessed 
this  gave  great  emphasis  to  her  manner,  which, 
probably,  would  have  availed  little  without  the  re 
volver. 


300  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

Sorrel  looked  up,  as  she  caught  a  glimpse  of  her 
mistress  coming  out  to  enter  the  carriage,  expecting 
a  word,  and  perhaps  a  lump  of  sugar,  but  she  got 
neither,  and  was  somewhat  disappointed.  Instead, 
Dolores  spoke  in  a  cold,  hard  tone  to  the  man  ac 
companying  her. 

"  Sit  at  the  right  and  take  the  reins." 

He  did  so,  and  she  took  her  place  by  his  side,  her 
revolver  still  in  her  hand.  Then  she  spoke,  and  her 
voice  was  gentle  and  natural. 

"  Come,  my  good  Sorrel,"  she  said,  "  be  patient  a 
little  longer.  Once  home  and  you  shall  rest  for  a 
week  ;  and  if  we  can  get  it  for  you,  you  shall  live  on 
the  fat  of  the  land." 

"And  ami  to  walk  back?"  queried  the  doctor, 
•who  was  slightly  uneasy  in  regard  to  the  fate  that 
was  intended  for  him. 

"  No,"  she  said,  "  you  are  to  remain  at  Idlefield  for 
the  present — until  Rick  is  well  once  more." 

"  And  if  he  does  not  recover  ?" 

"  In  that  case,"  and  the  desperate  look  came  back 
into  her  face  as  she  gazed  squarely  into  his,  "  you 
v.-ill  not  come  back  at  all." 

"  Do  I  understand  that  you  threaten  my  life  in 
case  I  am  unable  to  preserve  his  ?"  he  asked,  with  all 
the  dignity  he  could  command. 

"You  do,"  she  answered,  concisely.  "And,'*  she 
added  a  moment  later,  "  I  think  you  have  a  faint  ink 
ling  of  the  fact  that  I  am  a  woman  of  my  word." 

The  doctor  made  no  audible  response,  but  drawing 
up  the  reins  a  trifle  he  removed  his  hat  and  wiped 
the  perspiration  from  his  brow. 

"One  of  the  most  disagreeable  things  I  know,"  he 
was  saying,  mentally,  "  is  to  see  a  woman,  who  has 
always  appeared  ladylike  and  quiet,  unsex  herself  and 
put  on  masculine  airs." 

"I  knowed  it!"  exclaimed  Miss  Nancy,  a  litue 
later,  as  she  looked  out  and  saw  Dr.  Cathcart  driving 
down  the  road  and  reining  the  horse  up  at  the  steps, 
poor  jaded  old  Sorrel  picking  up  a  little  as  she  neurecl 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  30! 

home.  The  doctor  assisted  Dolores  to  alight,  she 
gravely  and  demurely  thanking  him  .for  the  attention. 
The  physician  repaired  to  the  sick  room,  but  Dolores 
paused  before  she  went  into  the  house  to  give  Sorrel 
another  lump  of  sugar  and  to  beg  Mr.  White  to  care 
for  her  as  tenderly  as  though  she  were  a  baby. 

"Well,"  said  Mammy,  in  answer  to  Miss  Nancy's 
exclamation,  "  ef  you  knovved  it,  den  all  I  has  ter  say 
is  dat  yer  acted  bery  much  like  as  if  yer  didn't  knowed 
nuffin  at  all  ebery  bressed  minit  dat  Miss  Rita's  been 
done  gone.  Yer  knows  it  now,  dat  I  'lows,  but  ef  yer 
knowed  it  afore  yo'  seen  it  wid  yer  own  eyes,  den  yo' 
is  got  de  mos'  deceivin'  way  'bout  yer  ob  any  woman 
I  knows."  

CHAPTER  XLIII. 

TWO    LIVES. 

The  following  September  found  Rick  settled  in  a 
comfortable  mansion  in  New  York,  only  two  or  three 
blocks  from  Mrs.  Eeale's  residence.  His  family  com 
prised  his  son,  Dolores  and  daughter,  Aunt  Nancy, 
Mammy,  Mandy  and  Tot,  with  Mammy's  eldest  son, 
Mose,  who  returned  to  Idlefield  a  few  days  before 
they  left  the  place  and  desired  to  accompany  them. 
As  he  was  capable  of  taking  care  of  and  managing 
horses  he  proved  extremely  useful,  for  Rick  sported 
a  modest  turnout,  as  he  said  Dolores  would  need  it  for 
herself  and  the  children  while  he  was  gone,  and  for 
the  present  it  was  necessary  to  his  own  health. 

Dolores  had  urged  him  to  break  up  the  household, 
or,  rather,  not  to  establish  one  in  New  York. 

"Mrs.  Beale  will  gladly  care  for  Halbert,  I  know," 
she  said,  "and  will  furnish  a  home  for  Aunt  Nancy 
also  ;  besides,  she  will  be  glad  to  have  you  with  her 
whenever  you  are  in  the  city.  You  could  find  no  one 
more  capable  of  taking  care  of  your  boy  and  bringing 
him  up." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,"  he  said,  "  but  I  think  I  can, 
though  I  regard  Mrs.  Beale  with  the  deepest  respect. 


302  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

She  has  told  ma  that  children  tire  her  of  late,  and, 
besides,  I  promised  the  boy's  mother  that  you  should 
rear  him  and  no  one  else.  Even  if  I  had  not  prom 
ised  her  I  would  trust  him  to  no  one  but  yourself,  for 
you  have  a  firm  and  gentle  way  with  children,  and  it 
would  break  the  boy's  heart  to  part  with  you.  I  won 
der  you  wish  such  a  thing,  Dolores." 

"I  don't  wish  it,"  she  exclaimed.  "I  was  only 
thinking  it  would  save  you  much  trouble  and  ex 
pense." 

"  It  would  save  no  trouble,  and  I  don't  care  for  the 
expense.  But  in  case  I  wished  to  do  as  you  suggest, 
where  would  you  go  ?" 

"  I  think  I  could  find  a  place  as  nurse  in  some  hos 
pital." 

"On  a  starving  salary.  No,  Dolores,  I  must  have 
a  home  and  you  must  take  care  of  it — nothing  less 
will  satisfy  me— and  Mrs.  Beale  thinks  my  plan  a 
wise  one.  Did  you  fear  she  would  not  ?" 

"  N-o,"  hesitatingly.  "  I  did  not  think — I  mean  I 
knew  she  was  my  faithful  friend,  and  would  only  seek 
my  good " 

"  I  know  what  you  thought,  and  I  forbid  you  to  ever 
think  anything  so  treasonable  of  her  or  me  again." 

This  subject  was  settled.  Rick  was  now  quite  well, 
except  that  he  had  been,  until  very  recently,  ex 
tremely  weak.  He  was  fast  regaining  his  former 
strength  and  was  making  arrangements  to  join  the 
army  of  the  Potomac.  As  soon  as  he  was  comfortably 
settled  in  his  new  home,  he  made  a  will,  leaving 
a  large  share  of  his  property  to  his  son,  a  hand 
some  legacy  each  to  Dolores  and  little  Rose,  and 
smaller  bequests  to  Aunt  Nancy  and  his  servants. 
.Mr.  Beale  and  Dolores — or,  rather,  Mrs.  DoloritaCas- 
tellar — were  made  executors,  and  Dolores  was  to  have 
charge  of  Halbert  until  he  became  of  age. 

Mr.  Beale  greatly  admired  Dolores,  her  beauty, 
her  manner,  her  playing,  and  especially  her  manage 
ment  of  the  children.  He  knew  nothing  of  her  former 
history,  as  his  wife  had  never  betrayed  the  confidence 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  303 

placed  in  her  more  than  four  years  previously.  One 
evening  when  he  had  gone  around  to  Rick's  to  hear  her 
play,  they  all  drifted  into  conversation  after. 

"  A  lady  called  upon  me  to-day,"  he  said,  "  who  has 
recently  been  visiting  in  Virginia.  Now  that  Grant  is 
besieging  Richmond,  one  has  no  trouble  in  passing 
back  and  forth  to  and  from  Virginia — I  mean  the 
Northern  portion — as  the  rebel  troops  are  pretty  well 
employed  farther  South.  She  had  a  budget  of  news 
from  Alfred  Hastings  and  family.  Ever  since — well, 
for  a  number  of  years,  we  have  heard  little  from  Alfred, 
directly  or  indirectly.  Mrs.  Tait,  whom  I  saw  to-day, 
has  a  friend  who  resides  near  Riverton,  and  she  heard 
no  end  of  gossip  concerning  Alfred,  his  first  and 
second  wife,  and  his  children." 

"  Perhaps,"  said  Mrs.  Beale,  observing  that  Dolores 
turned  suddenly  white,  "  Rick  doesn't  care  to  hear 
the  gossip.  You  know  he  and  Alfred  are  scarcely  so 
good  friends  as  they  once  were." 

Before  Rick  (who  at  once  decided  to  turn  the  con 
versation,  and  learn  the  facts  from  Mrs.  Beale  privately 
afterward)  could  speak,  Mr.  Beale  replied  : 

"  Oh,  he  isn't  so  foolish  as  all  that.  Report  says 
Alfred's  first  wife  was  a  wonderful  woman,  a  favorite 
with  all,  beautiful,  accomplished,  and  everything  that 
was  good  and  amiable.  They  thought  Alfred  would 
go  insane  when  she  died — he  wasn't  himself  at  all  for 
a  year  or  so  afterward.  At  last,  I  think,  he  had  a  re 
turn  of  his  old  complaint — a  lack  of  money — so  he 
married  an  heiress,  belonging  to  the  old  F.  F.  V's, 
who  was  about  ten  years  older  than  himself,  and  as  ugly 
as  possible  in  form,  feature  and  mind.  Well,  she  has 
led  him  a  sorry  life  for  four  years,  or  at  least  she  did, 
until  she  drove  him  into  the  army.  He  was  too  great 
a  coward,  it  seems,  to  go  of  his  own  accord,  but  his 
wife  made  such  a  pandemonium  of  his  home  he  got 
so  desperate  he  went  at  last.  People  were  constantly 
drawing  comparisons  between  his  two  wives  ;  their 
reports  came  to  her  ears,  and  this  made  her  worse 
than  ever. 


304  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

"You  spoke  of  his  family,"  Rick  said,  at  last. 
"  Has  he  any  children  ?" 

"  Yes,  two  girls.  He  was  very  anxious  for  a  son  to- 
inherit  Riverton,  but  his  children,  one  a  trifle  over 
three  and  the  other  about  two  years  of  age,  are  both 
girls.  They,  too,  are  spoiled,  and  are  just  about  as 
unlovable  as  possible.  As  for  Ida,  Alfred's  sister, 
she  became  so  annoyed  with  her  sister-in-law  that  she 
eloped  with  her  music-teacher — a  fancy  young  gentle 
man  who  already  had  a  wife.  In  short,  things  have 
gone  very  wrong  with  the  Hastings  family  ever  since 
the  death  of  Alfred's  first  wife.  Everybody  declares 
he  never  loved  the  second  one  a  particle,  and  only 
married  her  for  the  money  she  brought  him.  She 
herself  says  so,  and  out  of  revenge  keeps  a  tight  hold 
of  her  purse-strings.  It  seems  that  part  of  his  first 
wife's  property  reverted  to  her  relatives  in  Cuba,  as- 
her  child  died  before  she  did,  and  Alfred  did  not  come 
in  for  as  much  as  he  expected.  That  is  the  story 
he  tells,  though  he  made  the  money  fly  while  she  was 
living,  paid  up  the  debts  on  Riverton,  and  dashed 
out  in  style.  I  can  imagine  his  first  wife  must  have 
been  a  favorite  if  she  resembled  her  cousin  here,  Mrs. 
Castellar,"  Mr.  Beale  continued,  turning  to  Dolores 
as  he  spoke. 

She  did  not  answer  him,  though  even  he  observed 
her  face  was  white. 

"  Mrs.  Hastings  resembled  Mrs.  Castellar  very 
closely,''  Rick  answered  for  her,  "  and  the  two  were 
so  closely  united  in  their  earlier  years  that  any  allu 
sion  to  her  friend  affects  her  still.  I  remember  the 
visit  I  paid  to  Alfred  Hastings  just  before  my  own 
marriage,  to  assure  myself  that  his  wife  was  happy. 
I  thought  then  she  was  the  most  beautiful  woman  I 
ever  met." 

The  night  came  back  to  Dolores,  with  its  perfume 
and  flowers,  and  dancing  and  song.  Could  Rick  have 
thought  her  lovely  ?  She  remembered  how  his  kind 
words  to  her  had  touched  her  that  night.  Only  for 
them  she  never  could  have  had  the  courage  to  go 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  305 

through  all  she  did  to  reach  Idlefield  with  her  child 
when  her  sore  trouble  came  upon  her.  Rick  and 
Mr.  Beale  were  saying  something  else,  but  she 
did  not  understand  clearly  what  it  was  at  first. 
Presently  Mr.  Beale  made  a  remark  which  recalled 
her,  and  she  listened,  interested  once  more. 

"  Alfred  has  put  up  an  elaborate  monument  to  his 
dead  wife's  memory,"  he  said,  "one  of  the  most  ex 
tensive  things  of  the  kind  in  that  region  of  the  coun 
try,  enumerating  her  perfections  and  graces." 

"  I  would  like  to  see  it,"  Dolores  said,  speaking  for 
the  first  time.  "I  never  cared  to  meet  any  of  them 
when  I  heard  she  was  dead,  but  I  would  like  to  see — 
her  grave,  and  read — her  epitaph." 

"  What  is  it,  mamma  ?"  asked  little  Rose,  who,  in 
consideration  of  its  being  almost  the  last  evening  her 
uncle  would  have  at  home,  had  been  allowed  to  sit  up 
beyond  her  usual  hour.  "Who  is  Alfred  Hastings? 
Did  I  ever  see  him,  and  is  he  nice  ?" 

Dolores  turned  toward  Rick,  as  though  he  might 
relieve  her. 

"  Rick,"  she  said,  "  Baby  is  asking  who — who " 

"Yes,  I  know,"  he  answered.  "  Baby  (to  the  child), 
it  is  a  gentleman  you  do  not  know,  and  whom  you 
will  probably  never  see.  Don't  trouble  mamma  with 
questions,  dear,  she  is  tired  to-night." 

With  this  Dolores  rose  and  asked  to  be  excused, 
until  she  saw  Rose  to  bed.  When  she  returned 
she  had  regained  her  usual  composure,  and  Mrs. 
Beale  had  changed  the  subject  altogether. 

Dolores  did  not  fail  to  attract  attention  in  New 
York,  as  she  did  in  Virginia.  At  Idlefield  she  shunned 
every  one  outside  the  family,  and  during  their  Euro 
pean  tour  she  had  been  so  devoted  to  Rose,  scarcely 
ever  appearing  without  her,  that,  though  her  beauty  and 
grace,  more  remarkable  on  account  of  her  white  hair, 
were  freely  remarked,  she  received  no  especial  atten 
tion  from  the  opposite  sex.  In  truth,  she  was  usually 
set  down  as  Rick's  wife  by  all  who  took  the  trouble 
to  examine  the  hotel  registers  where  they  stopped. 


306  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN     NOBILI1  V. 

Now,  however,  when  Rick  was  reported  to  be  a 
widower,  and  Rose  called  him  uncle  and  Dolores 
"  mamma,"  while  Halbert  designated  them  respectively 
as  "papa"  and  "Aunt  Rita,"  it  came  to  be  the  general 
supposition  that  Rick  and  Dolores  were  brother  and 
sister.  They  were  called  "the  handsome  Cubans,"  and 
since  the  "  Diamond  Wedding,"  in  1860,  all  Cubans 
were  supposed  to  be  millionaires.  It  therefore  was 
noised  about  that  Senor  Gonzales,  as  he  was  called, 
was  immensely  wealthy,  and  the  Senora  Castellar  had 
a  large  fortune  in  her  own  right. 

Notwithstanding  all  that  she  had  passed  through, 
Dolores  still  looked  young.  Her  hair,  instead  of  mak 
ing  her  appear  aged,  simply  had  the  effect  of  blonde 
hair  with  a  brunette  face,  and  was  wonderfully  becom 
ing,  for  it  had  all  turned — there  was  not  a  single  dark 
thread  to  be  found  in  it,  though  her  brows  and 
lashes  were  jet  black.  Rick  took  great  pride  in  the 
respectful  admiration  she  excited,  and  this  evening, 
when  Dolores  left  the  room,  he  took  occasion  to 
speak  of  it  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beale,  after  saying  that 
any  allusion  to  Alfred  Hastings'  wife  always  affected 
her  deeply. 

Mr.  Beale  joined  in  her  praises,  and  turning  sud 
denly  to  Rick,  said  : 

"  My  boy,  why  don't  you  marry  Senora  Castellar  ? 
Or  have  you  the  act  in  contemplation  ?  Surely  there 
could  never  be  a  more  suitable  match." 

Rick  opened  his  eyes  in  astonishment,  and  it  was  a 
moment  or  two  before  he  could  find  words  to  answer 
this  unexpected  query. 

"Why — why — "  he  said,  at  last,  "  1  never  thought 
of  such  a  thing,  Mr.  Beale  ;  and,  in  fact,  the  thing  is 
impossible  !" 

"  Why  impossible  ?"  asked  Mr.  Beale,  persistently. 
"  Where  can  you  find  a  woman  who  can  compare  with 
the  lady  in  question  ?" 

"  I  acknowledge  the  lady's  suitability,"  Rick  re 
plied,  more  composedly,  "  but  I  am  certain  she  has 
no  idea  of  marrying  again." 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  307 

"Still  she  might  be  induced  to  think  otherwise," 
said  Mr.  Beale,  >l  and  my  opinion  is,  if  you  don't 
convince  her  that  the  best  thing  she  can  do  is  to 
change  her  name,  some  one  else  will." 

".My  dear,"  said  Mrs.  Beale,  rather  sharply  for  her, 
'•  I  am  ashamed  of  you.  How  can  you  show  so  little 
tact  and  sense  ?  You  persist  in  conversing  upon 
subjects  which  are  unpleasant  to  Rick,  and  positively 
painful  to  Rita  ;  in  fact,  your  suggestions  are  begin 
ning  to  border  upon  impertinence,  and  my  advice 
to  you  is  to  shun  personal  topics,  for  the  remainder  of 
the  evening  at  least." 

Mr.  Beale  looked  greatly  surprised. 

"  Why,  my  dear,"  he  said,  "  I  had  no  idea  of  being 
so  odious  as  you  seem  to  think  me,  and  1  am  sure  I 
meant  no  offence." 

"You  have  given  none,"  Rick  quickly  answered, 
"  though  I  confess  the  last  subject  is  a  rather  deli 
cate  one." 

Mrs.  Beale  changed  the  conversation  and  began 
to  speak  of  the  latest  operatic  star  and  the  prospects 
of  amusement  for  the  winter,  and  Dolores  walked  in, 
looking  white  and  tired,  but  calm  as  usual. 

After  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beale  took  their  leave,  Rick, 
seeming  somewhat  agitated,  bade  Dolores  good 
night,  for  Miss  Nancy  came  in  to  see  if  the  drawing- 
room  windows  were  closed. 

An  hour  or  two  later,  finding  it  impossible  to  sleep, 
Rick  came  down  to  the  back  parlor,  which  was  fitted 
up  as  a  library,  in  search  of  a  book  with  which  to  while 
away  the  time.  He  wore  a  pair  of  soft  slippers  and 
descended  noiselessly,  fearing  to  disturb  any  one,  and 
upon  entering  the  room  was  surprised  to  find  it  occu 
pied.  The  light  was  turned  low,  and  he  saw  that 
some  one  was  lying  upon  the  sofa  at  the  farther  end 
of  the  room — some  one  who  was  softly  sobbing  and 
sighing  to  herself,  after  the  strong  burst  of  passionate 
weeping  was  over.  It  was  Dolores. 

She  did  not  hear  him  enter  the  room  or  seem  aware 
of  his  presence,  and  his  first  thought  was  to  leave  her 


308  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

alone  in  her  grief ;  not  that  he  was  unsympathetic, 
but  he  felt  a  delicacy  in  intruding  upon  her  sor 
row ;  besides,  what  comfort  could  he  bestow?  And 
then  he  recognized  how  much  deeper  was  a  living 
than  a  dead  sorrow.  The  last  can  be  put  aside  some 
times ;  the  first,  never.  It  is  always  ready  to  spring 
up  in  some  new,  unlooked-for  shape,  each  more  dread 
ful  than  the  guise  in  which  we  last  beheld  it.  This 
woman  before  him,  keenly  alive  to  the  trouble  and 
mortification  of  her  present  position,  was  dead  to  the 
rest  of  the  world — her  husband  married  again,  with 
children  born  in  only  a  mockery  of  wedlock,  but 
which  supplanted  his  lawful,  living  child,  the  child  he 
despised  and  denied,  and  whom  he  had  sought  to  sell 
into  a  life-long  bondage.  Here  was  his  true  wife  liv 
ing  under  a  false  name,  not  daring  to  reveal  herself 
to  any  one,  lest  her  husband  would  learn  of  it  and 
seek  out  some  means  of  taking  her  life. 

Feeling  an  infinite  compassion  for  her,  and  resolv 
ing  to  make  his  presence  known,  he  approached 
and  gently  laid  his  hand  upon  her  head. 

"  Dolores  !"  he  said,  softly. 

She  did  not  seem  greatly  startled,  but  half  rose  and 
put  up  her  hand  to  shade  her  eyes  even  from  the  dim 
light. 

"  Is  it  you,  Rick  ?"  she  asked,  wearily.  "  I  can 
scarcely  see  you." 

He  turned  up  the  light  and  saw  that  her  face  looked 
strange  and  wild,  and  her  eyelids  were  so  much  swol 
len  with  weeping  that  she  was  unable  to  raise  them. 

"  Lie  down,"  he  said,  gently  placing  her  back  upon 
the  sofa.  Then  wetting  his  handkerchief  in  the  ice- 
water  which  stood  near,  he  bathed  her  hot  face  and 
temples  with  it,  dipping  it  in  the  fresh,  cool  water 
as  it  became  heated.  Under  this  soothing  operation 
Dolores  grew  calmer,  her  sobs  ceasing  altogether, 
though  she  still  sighed  occasionally,  her  sighs  seem 
ing,  however,  of  physical  rather  than  mental  origin, 
as  her  grief  had  so  shaken  her  frame  that,  even 
after  her  mind  and  feelings  were  benumbed,  the 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  309 

tumult  was  still  indicated  by  an  occasional  sigh  and 
a  nervous  twitching  of  the  hands. 

Seeing  this,  Rick  reached  forward  and  took  both 
her  hands  in  his  until  their  fluttering  motion  ceased. 
It  was  so  strange  to  see  the  calm,  self-contained  and 
thoughtful  Dolores  in  this  nervous  state.  Sometimes, 
indeed,  he  had  almost  fancied  the  old  sorrow  had 
ceased  to  affect  her. 

"You  are  very  foolish,"  he  said  at  last,  "to  sob 
like  this.  I  am  afraid  you  have  made  yourself  ill." 

"  Oh,  no,"  she  said,  "indeed  I  feel  nothing  now.  I 
am  simply  benumbed  from  head  to  foot.  If  I  could 
sleep  I  should  be  all  right  to-morrow." 

"  Can  you  sleep  now,"  he  asked.  "  If  so,  I  will  sit 
by  you  until  you  waken." 

"No,  it  is  late,  and  you  must  retire.  I  did  not 
think  of  disturbing  you,  Rick.  I  only  thought — well, 
I  could  not  help  crying,  and  I  remained  here  because 
I  thought  I  would  have  my  cry  out  alone,  and  no  one 
would  be  the  wiser.  I  don't  often  cry,  Rick — not 
often — but  when  I  do " 

"  You  make  yourself  sick  and  then  pretend  it  is  a 
headache.  Dolores,  is  it  only  the  old  sorrow,  revived 
and  made  keener  by  Mr.  Beale's  thoughtless  gossip  to 
night,  or  is  it  something  which  has  hurt  you  recently  ? 
Can  I  help  you  in  any  way,  or  make  your  burthen 
lighter?" 

"  No,"  she  answered  quickly,  "oh,  no,  Rick  !  You 
have  done  everything  already  that  a  thoroughly 
thoughtful  and  kind  heart  could  suggest.  I  shall  be 
all  right  to-morrow.  I  live  two  lives,  you  know.  To 
night  I  am  Dolores  Hastings,  living  over  again  the 
old  torture  I  felt  as  a  scorned  outcast,  a  disowned 
wife,  fighting  for  my  life  and  freedom,  and  the  safety 
of  my  child  ;  to-morrow  I  shall  be  Senora  Castellar, 
a  respected,  though  lonely  woman,  and  I  shall  think, 
with  a  feeling  akin  to  pity,  of  poor  Dolores  Hastings 
who  died  so  young  long  ago,  and  picture  in  my  mind's 
eye  the  monument  with  its  touching  epitaph  her 
mourning  husband  erected  to  her  memory." 


310  SUBDUED    SOUTHKKN    NOBILITY. 

She  rose  slowly,  her  white  hair  falling  over  her 
dark  dress,  as  long,  as  heavy  and  as  luxuriant  as  ever. 
Her  cheeks  were  flushed  with  a  warm,  bright  color, 
and  though  her  eyes  were  almost  veiled  by  the  droop 
ing  lids  and  lashes,  her  white  teeth  gleamed  through 
her  scarlet  lips  as  she  spoke,  and  there  was  something 
in  her  appearance  that  was  so  dazzling,  Rick  remem 
bered  it  long  after  that  night. 

"  Good  night,  Rick,"  she  said,  "  and  may  God  bless 
you  always  for  what  you  have  been  to  me."  And 
slowly,  but  with  her  accustomed  grace  and  calm 
ness,  she  left  the  room  and  went  up-stairs  to  her  own. 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 

AN    UNEXPECTED    MEETING. 

A  clear  Indian  summer  day  in  Virginia,  with  a 
purple,  sleepy  haze  over  the  hills,  and  a  soft,  yellow 
sunlight  over  all. 

Two  armies  lay  basking  in  the  sunlight,  one  on 
each  side  of  the  river,  both  seemingly  idle,  yet  both 
watchful  and  alert,  enjoying  to  the  fullest  extent  the 
quiet  of  the  serene  autumn  day,  even  while  feeling 
that  the  stillness  in  the  air  might  be  that  portentous 
calm  which  comes  before  a  storm.  One  discouraged 
and  weary,  yet  with  the  fierceness  in  its  veins  which 
attends  the  death  struggle  ;  the  other,  patient,  endur 
ing  and  biding  its  time. 

Scouts  being  sent  out  by  each,  it  so  happened  that 
three  men  in  blue  and  three  in  gray  found  themselves 
opposite  each  other  some  distance  south-east  of  Rich 
mond. 

"  What  are  you  about  ?"  shouted  one  from  the 
lower  side. 

"  What  are  you  Rebs  about  ?"  was  the  questioning 
answer. 

"  Have  any  of  you  Yanks  got  such  a  thing  as 
chewing  tobacco  about  you  ?"  was  the  next  unwarlike 
query. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  311 

"  Lots  of  it.  Have  any  of  you  Rebs  got  such  a 
thing  as  money  about  your  clothes  ?" 

"  Very  little  !  But  what's  the  use  of  money,  any 
how  ?  Will  you  give  a  fellow  a  chew  of  tobacco  if  he 
comes  over  ?" 

"  Yes,  and  free  lodging  for  a  month  thrown  in. 
Come  on,  if  you'd  like  to  have  it  !" 

"  Your  goodness  is  enough  to  bring  tears  to  the 
eyes  of  a  hippopotamus.  Victuals  thrown  in  besides  ?" 

"  Yes,  and  better  than  you  heathen  give  our  poor 
boys  at  Andersonville,  too." 

"  Oh,  pshaw  !  What's  the  use  of  getting  up  an 
argument?  We  don't  victual  the  Andersonville  boys." 

"  No,  for  if  you  did  I  suppose  they  would  fare  worse 
than  they  do  now,  if  such  a  thing  could  be  possible." 

"  To  the  deuce  with  you  !  Do  you  suppose  when 
we  soldiers  get  parched  corn  for  steady  rations  we're 
going  to  give  our  prisoners  porter-house  steak  and 
fried  chicken  ?  Come,  none  of  your  nonsense,  let's 
declare  a  truce  for  half  an  hour  and  meet  in  the  mid 
dle  of  the  river  on  neutral  ground." 

"  But  there's  no  boat  on  our  side." 

"  That's  bad,"  in  a  disappointed  tone.  "  Say,"  a 
moment  later,  "  suppose  we  come  over  and  give  you 
a  friendly  call,  and  you  treat  us  like  distinguished 
guests.  We  won't  mention  the  war,  but  meet  like  a  band 
of  brothers.  You  furnish  us  with  some  tobacco  and 
we'll  give  you  anything  we  happen  to  have  in  return. 
For  my  part  I'll  give  you  a  fancy  tobaQCO-pouch  my 
girl  worked  me,  that  I  vowed  to  keep  forever,  but 
when  I  promised  I  never  expected  to  come  to  this. 
We  will  only  stop  with  you  a  minute,  shake  hands  and 
vow  to  kill  each  other  if  we  can  in  the  next  brush. 
I've  done  a  great  deal  for  my  country's  sake,  and  now 
I  feel  like  doing  almost  anything  for  the  sake  of  a 
little  tobacco." 

There  was  a  short  parley  among  the  boys  in  blue, 
and  then  the  one  who  had  acted  as  spokesman — the 
others  lazily  enjoying  the  conversation — called  out, 

"  All  right.     Come  on  !" 


.312  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

"  Honor  bright?" 

"  Honor  bright !" 

It  was  but  a  few  moments'  work  to  cross  the  river. 
Two  of  the  Union  soldiers  watched  the  approach  of 
the  rebels  ;  the  third,  who  wore  a  captain's  uni 
form,  had  thrown  himself  carelessly  upon  the  ground, 
though  more  than  once  he  scanned  the  horizon  in 
every  direction. 

The  boat  soon  touched  the  shore,  and  three  men 
sprang  out :  one,  in  a  Confederate  captain's  uniform, 
lingering  behind  the  other  two  and  seeming  to  take 
little  interest  in  the  transaction  that  was  going  on  be 
tween  the  two  "  Rebs  "  and  two  "Yanks,"  as  they 
politely  styled  each  other. 

"At  a  little  distance  upon  the  other  side  the  cap 
tain  in  the  blue  uniform  listened  without  comment  to 
what  was  passing,  the  Confederate  captain  being  par 
tially  hidden  by  a  clump  of  bushes  near  which  he 
stood.  A  little  later  the  latter  spoke,  suggesting  that 
it  was  time  to  return.  At  the  sound  of  his  voice  the 
man  upon  the  ground  sprang  to  his  feet  and  stalked 
toward  him  with  quick  strides,  the  other  four  turning 
to  regard  him  in  some  surprise. 

The  Confederate  captain  looked  up  as  he  ap 
proached,  and  his  bronzed  face  turned  two  or  three 
shades  paler. 

"Rick  Gonzales  !"  he  cried,  "by  all  the  saints  in 
heaven  !" 

"  You  are  right,"  Rick  answered,  "  doubly  so. 
Right  as  to  my  name,  and  right  to  call  on  the  saints 
while  you  have  breath  to  do  so." 

"  Come,  Rick,"  said  the  other,  "we  meet  on  neutral 
ground  by  pre-arrangement  ;  we  were  to  shake  hands 
and  part  as  we  met.  Don't  you  be  the  first  to  break 
the  compact,  but  for  the  present  let  bygones  go.  Here 
is  my  hand." 

Rick  drew  back.  All  the  old,  fierce  passions  of  his 
boyhood  seemed  to  stir  his  breast  as  he  looked  upon 
the  man  and  thought  of  Dolores  and  the  wrongs  she 
had  suffered  at  his  hands. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  313 

The  soldiers  looked  on  at  first  in  silence,  the  rebels 
seeming  to  enjoy  the  scene  as  much  as  the  Union 
boys,  for  their  captain  was  by  no  means  a  favorite 
with  his  men.  One  smiled  a  trifle  and  quoted,  audibly  : 

"  The  hand  of  Douglas  is  his  own  !" 

"  The  ways  of  God  are  indeed  past  finding  out," 
said  Rick,  at  last.  "  I  cannot  understand  why  He 
allows  such  a  reptile  to  crawl  about  the  earth,  leaving 
a  slimy  trail  that  poisons  everything  it  touches." 

"  Its  very  well  for  you  to  stand  there  and  preach," 
returned  Alfred,  with  a  faint  show  of  blustering 
courage — "  you,  a  traitor  to  the  land  in  which  you 
were  born  !" 

"  And  you  call  me  a  traitor  ?"  said  Rick,  more 
calmly  than  he  had  spoken.  "  Well,  commendation 
from  your  lips  would  indeed  be  hard  to  bear  !  Call 
me  traitor  and  I  have  some  slight  respect  for  you,  but 
for  God's  sake  don't  offer  me  your  hand  and  call  me 
friend,  for  that  is  simply  maddening !" 

"  Why,  Rick,"  Alfred  said,  with  an  uneasy  glance 
toward  the  boat,  "  what  has  come  over  you  ?  It  is 
true  you  told  me  the  last  time  we  met  that  you  could 
not  forgive  me  because  I  stole  your  sweetheart  from 
you " 

"  Take  care  !"  cried  Rick,  warningly.  "  My  wife 
is  dead  ;  don't  dare  to  mention  her  name  !" 

"  I'm  sure  I  have  no  wish  or  power  to  speak  of  her 
but  in  the  most  respectful  and  deferential  terms.  Why 
you  are  so  bitter  toward  me  when  she  chose  to  marry 
you  at  last  I  cannot  say.  But,  friends  or  foes,  we 
must  part,  as  we  have  not  time  for  recrimination." 

"  One  moment !"  Rick  answered,  carried  farther 
in  his  passion  than  he  meant  to  go.  "Alfred  Hast 
ings,  shall  I  tell  you  why  I  despise  you  ?  Fiend,  traitor, 
hypocrite,  would-be  murderer,  bigamist  that  you  are?" 

At  the  last  word  Alfred  threw  up  his  hands  and 
uttered  a  wild  cry. 

"  Rick  !  Rick  !"  he  shrieked,  "  say  it  again  !  For 
God's  sake  tell  me  if  your  words  are  true  !" 

"They  are  true,"  he  said,  "and  I  am  ready  to  nn- 


314  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

swer  for  them  here  and  now.  Come,  though  opposed 
to  duelling,  it  may  be  right  in  extreme  cases,  and 
surely  this  is  one.  These  men  will  see  fair  play  be 
tween  us.  What  weapons  can  we  muster  ?  You  shall 
choose  them  and  shall  take  your  pick  of  the  kind 
selected.  I  will  take  no  advantage.  Come,  are  you 
ready  ?" 

"  Rick,  listen  to  reason,"  cried  Alfred,  desperately. 
"  If  you  will  fight  you  may  as  well  shoot  me  at  once, 
for  you  are  a  dead  shot,  while  I  was  a  bad  marksman 
always,  that  you  know." 

'•1  know  this,"  Rick  answered.  "You  did  not 
prove  a  bad  shot  when  you  killed  poor  Sue  at  a  long 
range,  so  long  that  you  mistook  her  for  your  wife  be 
cause  she  chanced  to  wear  her  shawl,  so  that  is 
not  your  reason  for  refusing  to  fight.  I  acknowledge 
I  am  a  fair  shot,  but  I  could  never  eclipse  that  telling 
shot  of  yours,  never." 

"  But  I  am  opposed  to  duelling  from  principle," 
Alfred  said.  "  It  is  unsoldierly,  it  is  unlawful,  it  is, 
in  fact,  cowardly." 

"  If  that  were  all  that  constituted  a  coward,"  re 
turned  Rick,  scornfully,  "you  surely  would  be  ac 
counted  the  bravest  of  men.  This  I  know,  you  have 
been  brave  enough  in  the  past  to  attempt  to  poison 
and  then  shoot  a  defenceless  woman.  Probably,  if 
my  back  were  turned  at  this  moment,  much  as  you 
despise  duelling,  you  would  have  the  courage  to 
shoot  me." 

"Rick,"  in  unfeigned  astonishment,  "you  are  the 
devil  !  Even  she  never  knew  that — that — 

•'  That  you  attempted  to  poison  her  ?" 

"I  did  not  say  so,"  cried  Alfred,  recollecting  him 
self.  "But  tell  me,  I  beg  of  you  to  tell  me,  if  she  yet 
lives?  Rick,  if  you  knew  the  tortures  through  which 
I  have  passed  on  account  of — of — 

"  Not  on  account  of  your  sin,"  said  Rick,  finishing 
the  sentence  for  him,  "  but  lest  it  would  be  found 
out.  Naturally  you  were  somewhat  anxious  to 
know  whether  your  victim  escaped  or  not,  but  it  was 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  315 

only  for  your  own  sake  that  you  wished  to  find  out. 
What  her  fate  might  have  been  you  did  not  care,  so 
long  as  you  were  certain  she  would  never  trouble  you. 
Your  idea  of  selling  your  lawful  wife  for  a  slave  after 
you  had  appropriated  her  money  was  one  which  only 
a  fiend  incarnate  could  have  invented.  But  I  will  not 
discuss  the  matter  longer;  it  sickens  me  to  think  over 
your  crimes.  And  now,  for  the  last  time,  I  ask  you 
do  you  refuse  to  fight  ?" 

"  I  do,"  returned  Alfred,  "for  reasons  of  my  own." 
"  In  that  case,"  said  Rick,  "  I  advise  you  to  leave 
at  once.  But  remember,  I  shall  not  lose  sight  of  you. 
Depend  upon  it,  your  future  life  will  not  be  a  pleasant 
or  successful  one.  If  I  ever  know  you  are  about  to 
taste  any  joy  I  shall  see  that  the  cup  is  dashed  from 
your  lips.  If  you  seek  distinction  you  shall  be  brought 
to  disgrace,  and  whatever  I  can  do  to  make  your  life 
unbearable  shall  be  to  me  a  cheerful  task." 

"  There  is  no  need,  Rick,  to  do  that.     My  life  is  a 
burthen  to  me  already." 

"You  seem  loth  to  part  with  it,  nevertheless." 
"  Perhaps  so.  But,  truly,  what  I  have  suffered  you 
can  never  know.  I  have  longed  to  feel  that  Dolores 
was  living,  for  to-day — don't  sneer,  Rick,  I  speak  the 
truth — I  love  her  better  than  I  did  in  the  full  tide  of 
her  popularity.  She  has  haunted  me  night  and  day, 
not  in  the  way  you  think — not  because  I  feared — but 
only  that  I  longed  unutterably  for  her  presence  and 
her  forgiveness.  I  was  mad  when  I  first  discovered 
who  she  was.  I  was  mad  for  months  after,  but  when 
I  came  back  and  found  how  desolate  my  home 
was  without  her,  when  I  heard  her  praises  far  and 
near,  uttered  by  high  and  low,  when  I  listened  to 
their  questions  concerning  her  and  her  death,  I 
longed  to  find  her  and  restore  her  to  the  place  she  had 
ornamented  and  so  nobly  filled.  But  it  was  too  late. 
Friends  said  I  was  going  mad,  but  the  truth  was  my 
reason  had  returned." 

"  I  trust  you  will  retain  it,  so  far  as  your  capability 
for  suffering  is  concerned,"  replied  Rick.     "  There  is 


316  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

no  fear  for  your  reason,  Alfred,  your  feelings  are  not 
deep  enough  to  overthrow  it.  You  have  a  false  pride, 
that  is  all,  but  through  that  I  may  be  able  to  touch 
you  yet.  Now,  all  I  ask  is  for  you  to  go  as  soon  as 
possible." 

It  had  been  a  bitter  humiliation  to  Alfred  that  two 
of  his  men  had  listened  to  this  conversation.  To  do 
him  justice,  he  was  more  afraid  of  Rick  than  of  any 
person  living,  except  it  might  be  the  woman  he  now 
called  wife,  and,  much  as  it  galled  him  to  have  his 
evil  deeds  published  by  Rick  before  these  men,  he 
had  not  dared  to  go  aside  and  carry  on  the  dis 
cussion  privately. 

"  Is  there  to  be  no  hand-shaking  after  all  ?"  in 
quired  one  of  the  Confederates.  "  The  only  satisfac 
tion  there  seems  to  be  in  this  meeting  is  what  I  have 
gained  by  getting  a  supply  of  tobacco,"  with  a  smile. 

The  two  Union  soldiers  put  out  their  hands  to  him 
and  his  comrade  as  they  passed,  and  Rick  did  the 
same,  much  to  their  surprise.  However,  as  he  had 
managed  to  inspire  them  with  a  feeling  of  respect, 
notwithstanding  his  exhibition  of  temper,  they  saluted 
him  respectfully,  took  their  seats  in  the  boat  with  their 
silent  and  rather  crestfallen  captain,  and  pulled  away 
for  the  opposite  shore,  wondering  how  much  truth  and 
how  much  fiction  there  was  in  his  charges  against  the 
character  of  Captain  Hastings. 

Meanwhile,  Rick  mounted  his  horse  and  with  his 
companions  rode  away,  regretting,  for  Dolores"  sake, 
that  he  had  made  known  to  Alfred  the  fact  she 
was  living,  or  at  least  that  she  had  not  died  before  his 
supposed  second  marriage. 

"If  he  believes  her  to  be  alive,"  he  said,  "he  will 
seek  her  out,  either  for  the  sake  of  taking  her  life  or 
making  that  life  miserable.  I  hope  I  have  done  noth 
ing  to  injure  her.  I  would  cut  my  tongue  out  before 
I  would  say  anything  with  the  thought  of  harming  her. 
If  I  am  spared,  I  will  try  and  find  means  to  pro 
tect  her  from  him,  but  if  I  fall  she  might,  to  a  cer 
tain  degree,  be  in  his  power.  Still,  in  that  case,  she 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  317 

will  have  the  means  to  leave  the  country  and  seek  a 
home  elsewhere.  She  has  a  strange  trust  in  me  and 
my  ability  to  protect  her,  although  through  my  mis 
taken  action  her  life  was  rendered  what  it  is  now.  I 
can  never  atone  for  that,  but  I  will  do  what  I  can  to 
make  it  endurable." 


CHAPTER  XLV. 

A     STITCH     IN     TIME. 

Richmond  had  fallen  at  last.  The  war  was  virtu 
ally  at  an  end,  and  there  was  already  talk  of  muster 
ing  out  some  of  the  volunteers.  But  the  satisfaction 
was  tempered  with  sorrow,  for  the  assassination  of 
President  Lincoln  had  overshadowed  the  great  suc 
cess  of  the  Federal  army  under  Grant.  Johnston's 
surrender  to  Sherman  quickly  followed,  and  then  the 
great  work  of  reconstruction  began. 

The  South  was  in  a  dreadful  state,  and  the  condi 
tion  of  the  negroes  pitiful  indeed. 

"  There  is  plenty  of  work  for  us  at  Idlefield  now," 
Rick  wrote  to  Dolores,  "  and  I  regret  that  I  shall  not 
receive  my  discharge  in  time  to  do  much  the  present 
year.  It  will  be  too  late  to  plant  anything  whatever, 
and  it  is  useless  to  gather  a  lot  of  plantation  hands 
together  unless  I  can  give  them  something  to  do.  I 
suppose  our  people  are  scattered  to  the  four  winds, 
but  if  we  cannot  find  them  there  will  be  plenty  of 
others,  needy  and  oppressed,  who  will  require  a  help 
ing  hand.  I  think  we  will  go  down  by  the  first  of 
February  next  year,  or,  possibly,  soon  after  New 
Year's  Day — a  long  time  to  look  ahead  you  will  think, 
no  doubt,  but  I  have  preparations  to  make,  and  I 
think  I  will  give  myself  a  holiday  during  this  interval 
and  gather  strength  for  the  coming  campaign.  We 
will  still  meet  with  much  opposition,  no  doubt — in 
deed,  it  may  be  serious  ;  but  I  think  we  are  both  will 
ing  to  enter  upon  the  work  notwithstanding  that,  and 
I  trust  we  may  yet  prove  that  the  negro  is  a  human 


318  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

being  and  worthy  to  be  dealt  with  fairly.  He  needs 
much  in  the  way  of  education,  too,  and  we  must  try 
and  organize  schools  for  that  purpose.  It  may  be 
some  time  before  our  efforts  are  crowned  with 
marked  success,  but  if  we  are  patient  and  work  faith 
fully  it  will  surely  come  at  last." 

It  was  in  May  he  wrote,  but  summer  had  come  be 
fore  he  received  his  discharge,  and  then  he  hastened 
home.  He  telegraphed  the  date  of  his  intended 
arrival  in  New  York,  and  Dolores  and  the  children 
were  at  the  depot  to  meet  him.  She  came  forward, 
putting  Halbert  before  her  to  greet  his  father  first,  but 
Rick  passed  him  by  and  for  the  first  time  took  Dolores 
in  his  arms  and  kissed  her  fervently. 

Her  face  grew  quite  white  at  this,  it  was  so  unex 
pected,  and  she  could  scarcely  find  voice  to  answer 
his  questions  for  the  next  few  moments.  Rick  seemed 
overjoyed  and  could  scarcely  act  like  a  sane  man  dur 
ing  the  whole  day. 

"  Aunt  Nancy  was  coming,  too,"  Dolores  said,  at 
length.  "  She  was  preparing  an  elaborate  toilet,  but 
was  detained,  and  found  she  had  not  time  to  array 
herself  in  it,  so  she  would  not  come.  She  is  waiting 
anxiously  to  see  you." 

"  I  suppose  she  is  anxious  to  tell  me  she  '  knowed 
it/  "  laughed  Rick. 

"Perhaps  so,"  Dolores  returned,  "though  Mammy 
has  taken  to  laughing  at  her  for  using  the  expression 
so  constantly,  and  she  has  in  a  great  measure  dropped 
it  and  substituted  '  did  you  ever  !'  This  Mammy  does 
not  object  to,  as  it  is  infinitely  less  assuming,  appeal 
ing  rather  to  the  superior  knowledge  of  the  person 
addressed  than  boasting  of  her  own.'' 

Then  the  children,  anxious  to  come  in  for  their 
share  of  attention,  began  to  relate  to  Rick  how  well 
they  were  getting  along  at  school,  for  they  had  just 
finished  their  first  school  year,  although,  thanks  to 
the  teachings  of  Dolores,  both  could  read  well  in 
English  and  Spanish,  and  they  possessed  also  quite  a 
little  knowledge  of  French  and  Italian.  With  this 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOF.1L1TY.  319 

much  gained  they  were  able,  as  soon  as  they  began- 
the  regular  routine  of  school  life,  to  progress  very 
favorably,  and  when  it  was  all  explained  to  Rick  he 
declared  they  had  done  wonders. 

That  evening,  when  they  were  sitting  in  the  draw 
ing-room,  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beale,  the  bell  rang 
and  Professor  Harding  was  announced.  Dolores 
received  him  politely,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beale  in  an 
exceedingly  friendly  manner,  while  the  children  ran 
to  him  seeming  delighted  to  see  him.  Of  course 
Rick  was  extremely  gracious,  and  the  professor  (who 
did  not  wear  glasses)  expressed  sincere  pleasure  in 
meeting  him,  saying  he  had  heard  of  Captain  Gon- 
zales  so'constantly  through  Mrs.  Castellar  and  the 
children  he  must  consider  him  already  a  friend. 

The  professor  conversed  fluently  and  well,  and 
though  Rick  (if  the  truth  were  told)  was  slightly 
taken  aback  at  his  very  friendly  footing  in  the  family, 
he  was  obliged  to  confess  to  himself  that  the  man  ap 
peared  both  sensible  and  attractive.  Why  he  objected 
to  this  appearance  of  friendliness  he  could  not  have 
told,  and,  perhaps,  would  have  been  ashamed  to  ac 
knowledge,  but  the  thought  that  it  did  exist  made  him 
very  uncomfortable  in  spite  of  himself. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beale  seemed  delighted  with  his  com 
pany  but  he  fancied  Dolores  was  not  quite  at  her 
ease.  The  professor  turned  to  her  and  asked  for 
some  music,  and  she  rose  and  went  to  the  piano. 
He  lingered  near  her,  turning  the  pages  when  she  did 
not  play  from  memory,  and  at  last  he  proposed  a 
song.  Dolores  was  about  to  ask  to  be  excused,  but 
Mr.  Beale  interposed,  insisting  on  hearing  his  favor 
ite.  To  Rick's  horror  Dolores  brought  out  a  popu 
lar  song,  played  the  prelude  and  began  to  sing,  the 
professor  joining,  not  only  in  the  chorus  but  accom 
panying  her  in  what  was  usually  sung  as  a  solo.  It 
was  very  bad  taste,  Rick  thought,  though  the  effect 
was  good  upon  the  whole.  After  it  was  finished 
the  professor  hung  around  Dolores  for  some  time, 
chatting  upon  various  topics,  and  his  manner,  while 


320  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    MOBILITY. 

it  could  scarcely  have  been  called  affectionate  in  the 
extreme,  was  undeniably  devoted. 

The  only  comfort  Rick  received  from  the  incident 
was  that  Dolores  did  not  in  the  least  encourage  the 
professor's  attentions.  Still  she  might  feel  reserved 
in  the  presence  of  others.  It  could  not  be  possible 
that  any  man  would  make  such  a  fool  of  himself  un 
less  he  had  been  led  on  to  some  extent.  Could  it  be 
that  Dolores,  tired  of  her  lonely  life,  had  resolved  to 
deny  that  she  was  Dolores  Hastings,  the  despised 
wife  of  Alfred  Hastings,  and  declare  herself  to  be  a 
widow — as  she  seemed — of  a  Cuban  gentleman  named 
Castellar,  and,  as  such,  enter  into  a  second  marriage  ? 

It  made  his  blood  run  cold  to  think  of  it.  Without 
Dolores  what  would  be  his  home  ?  There  would  be 
devoted  but  tiresome  old  Aunt  Nancy,  it  was  true, 
Halbert  running  wild — and  what  would  become  of  his 
schemes  and  plans  concerning  Idleneld  ?  How  could 
he  ever  carry  them  out  without  the  help  of  Dolores, 
who  had  always  been  so  faithful,  so  efficient,  so  brave 
and  true  ?  Why,  she  had  saved  his  life  over  and  over 
again.  Could  it  be  that  she  was  going  to  desert  him 
now  ? 

He  answered  "Yes"  and  "No"  at  random  to  Mr. 
Beale's  questions,  until  at  last  one  of  them  struck 
home,  and  he  opened  his  eyes  and  listened  attentively, 
taking  an  interested  part  in  the  conversation. 

"  How  do  you  like  Professor  Harding?"  said  Mr. 
Beale  in  a  low  tone. 

"  He  seems  very  pleasant  and  companionable,"  re 
plied  Rick  in  the  same  tone,  determined  not  to  show 
what  was  going  on  in  his  mind. 

"You  see,"  said  Mr.  Beale,  confidentially,  "ever 
since  the  night  you  told  me  you  had  no  intentions  in 
that  direction  (with  a  nod  over  to  where  Dolores  sat), 
I've  been  on  the  look-out  for  a  suitable  person  for  the 
Senora — or  Mrs.  Castellar,  as  she  desires  to  be  called. 
Not  long  ago  I  hit  upon  the  professor  here,  brought 
him  around  and  introduced  him.  Of  course,  Mrs. 
Castellar  is  reserved,  but  her  reserve  is  more  attrac- 


SUbDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  321 

live  than  an  effusive  manner  would  be.  The  professor 
was  charmed — entranced,  I  may  say.  I  didn't  take 
my  wife  into  my  confidence,  as  she  probably  wouldn't 
approve  of  such  a  thing,  though  she  likes  the  professor 
very  much  indeed,  and  Mrs.  Castellar  does  not  as 
yet  dream  what  is  going  on." 

Rick  bowed  but  said  nothing,  though  he  thought 
Dolores  must  be  more  blind  than  she  usually  was  if 
she  did  not.  At  this  moment  Mrs.  Beale  rose,  and,  as 
it  appeared  to  him,  from  a  mute  telegram  from  Dol 
ores  went  over  and  joined  her,  engaging  the  pro 
fessor  in  conversation,  and  Dolores  took  the  oppor 
tunity  to  excuse  herself  and  marshal  the  children  off 
to  bed.  Perhaps,  after  all,  the  calls  and  attentions 
of  the  professor  had  been  gradually  thrust  upon 
Dolores  in  a  manner  which  she  could  not  well 
refuse  at  once.  If  Mr.  Beale  brought  him  often 
to  the  house  she  could  not  order  him  away. 

Meanwhile  Mr.  Beale  sat  and  wondered  why  Rick 
did  not  enter  into  the  thing  with  more  spirit.  He  was 
sure  he  had  done  a  wise  and  excellent  action,  for  the 
professor  was  a  gentleman  of  unexceptional  habits 
and  morals,  and  in  receipt  of  a  very  large  salary, 
which,  no  doubt,  would  last  for  life.  There  was  no 
sense  in  having  such  an  attractive  woman  as  Dolores 
remain  a  widow.  She  ought  to  marry  and  make  some 
good  man  happy,  and  the  professor  was  the  best  man 
he  kne\v,  after  Rick,  who  didn't  want  her,  because  he 
said  so.  Mr.  Beale  meant  well,  but  he  never  could 
learn  that  meaning  well  and  doing  a  wise  thing  were 
not  one  and  the  same.  " 

Still,  he  was  not  in  the  least  hurt  by  Rick's  silence. 
No  doubt  the  boy  was  tired,  and  then,  of  course,  he 
would  feel  badly  in  losing  Mrs.  Castellar,  as  he  was 
bound  to  do,  and  that  very  soon.  He  must  prepare 
for  it,  and  the  sooner  the  better,  as  sudden  surprises 
were  not  good  for  any  one.  He  really  felt  it  his  duty 
to  inform  him  at  once  of  the  fact  that  he  must  be 
prepared  for  a  change,  so  he  began  a  dissertation 
upon  the  changes  in  life,  and  said,  no  doubt,  Rick 


J22  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NUBILITY. 

would  meet  with  a  change  soon.  Rick  wondered  it 
he  was  going  to  hear  a  sermon  upon  religious  sub 
jects,  but  was  not  left  long  in  doubt,  as  it  was  not 
Mr.  Beale's  way  to  make  a  secret  of  anything. 

"  I  mean  in  your  household,"  he  said.  "  No  doubt 
the  professor  and  Mrs.  Castellar  will  marry  soon,  and 
it  will  be  perfectly  right  if  they  do." 

"You  think,  then,"  said  Rick,  "  that  all  the  profes 
sor  has  to  do  in  the  case  is  to  propose  and  he  will  be 
accepted  at  once  ?" 

"  I  see  no  reason  why  he  should  not,"  returned  Mr. 
Beale.  "I  am  very  sure  I  would  never  have  intro 
duced  the  professor  to  Mrs.  Castellar  if  I  had  thought 
she  would  refuse  him.  If  she  does,  he  will  think  I 
encouraged  him  with  false  hopes." 

"  Had  you  any  reason  whatever  for  encouraging 
him  at  all?"  inquired  Rick. 

"  Well — I  cannot  say  I  had  any  special  reason,  but 
let  an  attractive  woman  and  a  sensible,  pleasant  man 
meet  often  and  they  are  pretty  sure  to  fall  in  love." 

"  What  are  you  two  discussing  so  gravely  ?"  in 
quired  Mrs.  Beale  from  the  opposite  end  of  the  room. 
"  Professor  Harding,  don't  you  think  we  had  better 
join  them  ?"  and  she  came  forward,  the  professor  fol 
lowing. 

"  Oh,  we  were  talking  a  little  natural  philosophy,'" 
said  Mr.  Beale,  "  though  I  dare  not  lisp  a  word  on 
such  subjects  before  the  professor  here." 

"  He  is  safe  to  do  so  before  me,"  laughed  Rick,  as 
suming  a  cheerfulness  he  was  far  from  feeling,  "be 
cause  of  my  ignorance  in  such  matters." 

"  No,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Beale,  fearing  he  had  said 
something  impolite,  "  I  did  not  mean  to  suggest  any 
thing  of  the  kind  ;  far  from  it.  I  have  never  met  a 
man  who  possessed  such  a  fund  of  general  informa 
tion  as  you." 

"  Or  who  was  so  ignorant  of  philosophy,"  added 
Rick,  determined,  for  any  sake,  to  turn  the  conver 
sation  completely,  and  not  to  show  how  Mr.  Beale'j 
former  remarks  had  galled  him. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  323 

Mr.  Beale  continued  to  protest  against  Rick's  infer 
ence.  It  was  quite  late  when  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beale 
and  the  professor  took  their  leave,  and  Miss  Nancy 
had  retired. 

"Shall  I  put  out  the  lights,  Rick?"  Dolores  asked, 
" or  are  you  not  going  to  retire  at  once?  I  think  I 
will  go  up  now." 

"Not  yet,"  he  said.  "I  want  to  speak  with  you, 
Dolores.  We  have  not  had  a  moment  together  to  dis 
cuss  matters  quietly,  and  if  you  are  not  too  tired  I 
would  like  you  to  give  me  a  little  time.  I  will  not  de 
tain  you  long." 

Rick  had  learned  a  costly  lesson  years  before,  but 
he  learned  it  perfectly.  It  was  that  a  slight  explana 
tion  in  the  beginning  of  a  mystery  or  estrangement 
might  clear  it  all  away,  but  the  thing  allowed  to  run 
on  might  lead  to  serious  results. 

"  There  is  nothing  like  a  stitch  in  time,"  he  thought. 
"  There  is  a  wide  and  wise  meaning  in  that  homely 
old  proverb,  for  it  applies  to  friendships,  to  health, -in 
short  to  almost  everything.  Perhaps  that  stitch  in 
time  may  save  Dolores  for  me,  and  prevent  her 
doing  a  foolish  if  not  a  wicked  thing." 

"  I  am  not  tired,"  she  said,  "  and  am  quite  at  your 
service." 

She  sat  down,  and  Rick,  looking  across  the  centre- 
table  to  where  she  sat,  scanned  face,  figure  and  dress 
before  he  spoke.  She  was  a  regal-looking  woman, 
indeed.  It  was  very  warm,  and  she  wore  white  to 
night.  She  had  seated  herself  in  a  crimson  chair, 
which  made  an  admirable  background  to  her  lithe  but 
graceful  form.  The  dress  was  high  to  the  throat,  and 
fell  in  soft  hazy  folds  at  her  feet.  Face  and  hair  were 
white,  too,  but  there  were  the  dark  eyes  and  brows  and 
the  red  lips  for  relief.  She  held  in  her  hand  an  open 
white  feather  fan,  with  a  small  scarlet  bird  in  the 
centre,  which  she  waved  slowly — like  Spanish  women, 
she  was  fond  of  carrying  a  fan,  and  always  used  one 
gracefully.  Whatever  she  did  was  with  a  slow,  glid 
ing  movement — haste  seemed  entirely  foreign  to  her — 


324  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

yet  there  was  a  certain  determination  about  her  which 
caused  her  to  accomplish  more  than  many  a  fussy, 
blustering  woman  who  seemed  twice  as  busy. 

She  looked  up  and  met  his  gaze.  There  was  some 
thing  like  displeasure  or  dissatisfaction  in  his  face, 
even  while  he  confessed  how  fair  she  was. 

"  Well,  Rick,"  she  said,  slowly,  "  in  what  have  I 
offended  you  ?" 

"  Offended  me  ?"  he  repeated,  in  surprise. 

"Yes,"  she  answered,  still  quietly.  "You  are 
offended,  are  you  not  ?" 

"  No,"  he  said,  very  decidedly,  after  waiting  a  mo 
ment.  "  I  am  not  offended  with  you,  Dolores,  but  I 
believe  I  am  hurt,  and  Mr.  Beale  has  unconsciously 
annoyed  me." 

"  Ah  !"  she  said,  inquiringly.     "  How,  Rick  ?" 

"Do  you  think  of  marrying  again?"  he  asked, 
abruptly. 

"  You  know,"  with  a  shade  of  reproach  in  her  tone, 
"  that  I  am  already  married,  Rick  ?" 

"  Still,  no  one — at  least  not  more  than  two  or  three 
— knows  of  the  fact." 

"  I  know  it,  however,  and  that  is  enough,"  a  little 
hurt,  but  speaking  proudly  still. 

"  Have  I  hurt  you  ?  I  did  not  mean  to  do  so.  Let 
me  tell  you  how  what  I  heard  and  saw  affected  me. 
i  saw  the  professor  tenderly  attentive  to  you,  and  was 
surprised.  Then  Mr.  Beale  told  me  he  had  brought 
the  gentleman  around  and  introduced  him  to  you  with 
the  hope  that  you  would  fall  in  love  with  and  marry 
him.  He  warned  me  to  prepare  to  lose  you,  as 
there  was  no  doubt  about  your  marrying  the  professor, 
and  that  soon." 

"Is  it  possible  he  said  that  to  you?"  a  sudden, 
painful  glow  mantling  her  pale  cheeks. 

"Did  you  suspect  nothing  of  the  kind?" 

"I  certainly  did  not  dream  it  was  so  bad  as  that. 
Mrs.  Beale  is  my  best  friend,  and  Mr.  Beale  has  been 
very  kind  also.  But  did  you  never  read  the  old  fable 
of  the  man  and  his  friend  the  bear,  Rick  ?  How  one 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  325 

day  when  the  man  was  sleeping  there  was  a  fly  upon 
his  face,  and  the  bear,  in  throwing  a  stone  to  kill  the 
fly,  unintentionally  killed  his  friend  ?  There  are 
friends  and  friends,  Rick,  but  I  think  Mr.  Beale  is 
determined  to  be  such  a  friend  to  me  as  the  bear  was 
to  the  man  in  the  fable.  He  knows  nothing  of  me 
except  what  he  has  seen,  looking  at  my  present  life. 
If  he  knew  of  the  old  one  I  suppose  he  would  still 
misunderstand  me." 

"  I  can  see,  Dolores,  how  the  thing  was  forced  upon 
you.  In  my  heart  I  did  not  doubt  you,  and  yet  I  was 
afraid,  as  I  cannot  afford  to  lose  you,  for  our  life  work 
lies  together.  But  did  you  suspect  nothing?" 

"  I  suspected  nothing  at  first,  but  at  length  I  felt 
the  professor  was  visiting  here  too  frequently.  This 
was  when  he  first  began  to  call  alone.  In  my  per 
plexity  I  consulted  Mrs.  Beale.  She  saw  the  unpleas 
ant  situation  in  which  I  was  placed,  though  I  am  sure 
she  had  no  thought  of  the  part  Mr.  Beale  confesses 
to  have  taken  in  it.  So  we  entered  into  an  agree 
ment  :  She  was  always  to  happen  around  when  Pro 
fessor  Harding  came,  for  the  moment  he  called  I 
would  send  her  word.  If  I  knew  she  was  out  (and 
she  kept  me  informed),  I  made  it  a  point  to  go  out 
too,  or  to  plead  a  headache,  and  leave  word  that  I 
could  see  no  one.  It  has  only  been  a  little  while,  and 
I  knew  you  were  coming  soon  and  that  the  thing 
would  then  settle  itself.  I  had  no  opportunity  to 
speak  of  it  to  you  to-day,  and  I  did  not  dream  you 
would  misunderstand  me.  To-night  I  knew  you  did, 
and  it  made  me  very  unhappy." 

She  had  turned  her  face  away  from  him,  the  fan 
was  moving  faster  now,  and  she  raised  her  hand  higher, 
while  she  waved  it  to  and  fro,  until  her  profile  was 
almost  hidden.  But  Rick  knew  by  her  voice  that 
there  were  unshed  tears  in  her  eyes,  and  as  he  came 
forward  quickly  and  took  a  seat  on  an  ottoman  at  her 
feet,  he  saw  two  clear  drops  fall. 

"Forgive  me,"  he  said,  "for  I  have  acted  like  a 
brute,"  and  he  drew  down  the  fan  which  she  held  up 


326  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

to  screen  her  face,  imprisoning  in  his  the  hand  that 
held  it. 

"  No,"  she  answered,  struggling  for  composure, 
"you  have  not.  Perhaps  I  am  only  foolish,  but  I  did 
think  you  understood  me  better,  Rick." 

"  It  was  not  that  I  misunderstood  you,  Dolores,  it 
was  not  that.  It  was  only  because  the  thought  that 
any  other  man  would  dare  to  love  you  drove  me  al 
most  wild." 

She  made  a  movement  to  withdraw  her  hand,  but  it 
only  resulted  in  his  capturing  the  other  and  holding 
both  fast. 

"  Don't  be  offended,"  he  said,  "  wait  until  I  explain. 
When  I  went  away  I  did  not  know  how  dear  you  were 
to  me,  but  in  camp  I  had  much  time  for  reflection, 
and  there  I  found  I  thought  of  you  constantly. 
Later,  I  met  Alfred — don't  start,  he  cannot  harm  you — 
and  when  I  met  him  I  knew — I  was  very  sure,  indeed 
— that  you  were  all  the  world  to  me.  The  sight  of 
his  face  drove  me  wild.  I  challenged  him  to  fight. 
It  was  very  wicked,  I  know,  but  I  thought  if  he 
killed  me  it  would  not  matter,  and  if  I  killed  him  you 
would  be  free.  I  suppose  I  was  a  murderer  at  heart. 
But  he  refused,  and  we  parted.  Dolores,  I  am  not 
going  to  insult  you  by  asking  you  to  marry  me.  I  am 
going  on  just  as  before,  to  treat  you  like  a  dear  sister, 
a  true  friend.  It  is  worth  much  to  me  to  have  you  in 
my  home,  acting  a  sister's  part  to  me,  and  that  of  a 
kind  guardian  to  my  child.  Men  have  loved  and  been 
obliged  to  see  the  object  of  their  affections  wedded 
to  another  man  ;  surely  my  lot  will  not  be  so  hard  as 
that  ?  It  is  no  crime  to  love  you,  Dolores,  so  long  as 
I  keep  my  affection  within  bounds.  Ah,  you  need  not 
fear  me.  Rest  assured  I  shall  never  annoy  you  with 
unseemly  regrets  or  outbursts  of  passion.  We  will  go 
on  together  as  we  have  done  since  Rose  died,  and  if 
fate  never  gives  me  the  right  to  call  you  a  dearer 
name  than  sister  I  will  strive  to  be  content — yes,  and 
will  succeed  so  well  no  one  will  ever  guess  the  true 
state  of  my  heart." 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  327 

She  trembled  slightly  as  she  listened.  She  longed 
to  speak  some  word,  but  she  could  not.  She  sat  look 
ing,  startled  and  pale,  trying  to  find  an  answer,  but 
unable  to  frame  one. 

"  You  are  not  angry  with  me  ?"  he  said. 

"  No,  oh  no  !  I  have  no  wish  to  ever  leave  you, 
Rick.  Let  us  remain  just  as  we  are." 

He  waited  a  moment,  hoping  she  would  say  some 
thing  more,  but  he  was  disappointed.  He  was  sure, 
from  her  former  devotion  to  him,  that  she  cared  for 
nim  to  a  certain  degree,  but  he  longed  to  hear  her 
say  so  just  once.  But  she  did  not,  and  he  dared  not 
trust  himself  to  ask  her  again.  He  would  not  tell  her 
the  conversation  which  passed  between  Alfred  and 
himself,  fearing  to  frighten  her.  So  they  sat  for  a  few 
moments  in  silence,  and  then  she  rose  to  go.  He 
made  a  movement  to  detain  her,  then  he  paused,  and 
at  last,  as  she  drew  her  hands  away,  he  let  them  go 
with  only  a  slight  pressure  of  his  own. 

"  Better  curb  myself  in  trifles,"  he  thought,  "for — " 
and  then  he  rose  and  paced  the  floor  hurriedly  a 
moment,  turned  out  the  lights  and  went  to  his  room. 


CHAPTER   XLVI. 

MR.    BEALE    MEANS    WELL. 

Unfortunately,  the  attentions  of  Professor  Harding 
to  Dolores  did  not  cease  with  Rick's  return  ;  on  the 
contrary,  they  became  more  marked,  as  though  the 
professor  recognized  the  fact  that  delays  were  dan 
gerous,  especially  in  this  particular  case.  It  was 
impossible  for  her  to  elude  the  man — he  followed  her 
about  like  a  shadow. 

"  What  shall  I  do  ?"  Dolores  asked  Rick,  in  despair. 
"  If  the  man  would  ask  me  to  marry  him  I  could  re 
fuse  ;  but  he  does  not,  and  he  seems  wilfully  blind  to 
the  fact  that  I  do  not  desire  his  attentions." 

"  We  will  all  take  a  trip  to  Niagara,"  said  Rick, 
"  and  stop  awhile  at  Saratoga  upon  our  return.  We 


328  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

won't  mention  the  fact  until  the  last  moment,  and 
perhaps  by  this  means  we  shall  avoid  him  for  the 
summer." 

Delusive  hope  !  They  had  been  in  Niagara  but  two 
days  when  the  professor  made  his  appearance  at  the 
Cataract  House,  where  they  were  stopping.  Soon 
after  they  changed  their  quarters  to  the  Clifton.  The 
professor  followed,  and  then  Dolores  was  in  despair, 
while  Rick  was  angry. 

"Dolores,"  he  said,  "we  cannot  well  prevent  him 
from  going  where  he  likes,  and  especially  as  his  con 
duct  is  that  of  a  gentleman.  I  believe  the  best  thing 
for  you  to  do  is  to  give  him  an  opportunity  of  offering 
himself  and  then  refuse  him." 

A  month  earlier  this  would  have  been  a  very  hard 
thing  for  her  to  do,  as  she  shrank  from  wounding  his 
feelings  ;  now  she  was  desperate  enough  to  do  almost 
anything  to  send  him  away,  so  she  consented.  Rick 
took  it  upon  himself  to  escort  the  children  every 
where,  taking  Tot  with  him,  and  this  left  Dolores  to 
the  tender  mercies  of  the  professor.  The  plan,  how 
ever,  worked  admirably,  for,  as  the  man  was  terribly 
in  earnest,  he  lost  no  time  in  offering  his  heart  and 
hand. 

"  I  have  no  desire  to  marry,"  she  said.  "  Had  I 
been  left  a  widow  with  a  happy  marriage  to  look  back 
upon  I  might  have  felt  differently  now;  but  it  was  far 
otherwise.  Besides,  I  do  not  love  you." 

She  did  not  say  she  regarded  him  with  deep  re 
spect,  nor  ask  for  his  friendship.  He  already  was 
sure  of  her  respect,  and  he  did  not  care  for  her  friend 
ship  since  she  could  not  grant  him  her  love. 

"  I  would  have  told  you  before  if  I  could,"  she 
added;  for  the  man  seemed  stunned.  "I  tried  to  be 
reserved,  as  soon  as  I  saw  your  object,  but  that  you 
would  not  heed." 

"Mr.  Beale  misled  me,"  he  said.  "I  knew  you 
were  reserved,  but  he  insisted  it  was  only  your  way." 

"  Mr.  Beale  meant  no  harm,  I  am  sure,"  she  replied, 
"but  he  has  annoyed  us  both  and  given  us  unneces- 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERA    NOBILITY.  329 

sary  pain.  He  had  no  right  to  speak  to  you  in  regard 
to  the  matter  at  all,  for  he  has  heard  me  say  I  never 
intend  to  marry." 

At  length  the  professor  went  his  way,  respecting 
her  more  in  his  heart  for  her  plain  speaking  than  he 
would  had  she  attempted  to  give  him  a  half-way  an 
swer,  in  order  to  keep  him  dangling.  He  soon  after 
returned  to  New  York,  and,  accidentally  meeting  Mr. 
Beale  in  the  street,  astonished  that  gentleman  by 
bowing  coldly  and  passing  him  hurriedly  by.  When 
they  met  again,  after  chatting  for  some  time,  Mr. 
Beale  asked  how  his  love  affair  was  progressing,  and, 
on  being  informed  that  Dolores  had  given  him  a 
most  uncompromising  refusal,  he  expressed  all  the 
surprise  he  felt. 

"  Mrs.  Castellar  also  in  aned  me  that  you  knew  of 
her  determination  not  to  marry,"  the  professor  added, 
when  the  story  was  told.  ••• 

"  Bless  me,  you  did  not  tell  her  I  had  anything  to 
do  with  the  affair,  did  you  ?"  inquired  Mr.  Beale, 
beginning  to  feel  uncomfortable. 

"  I  certainly  did,"  returned  the  professor,  "  in  ex 
cuse  for  my  acting  like  a  fool." 

"And  what  did  Mrs.  Castellar  say?" 

"That  you  had  caused  us  both  much  annoyance." 

"  Then  I  suppose  she  is  angry  with  me  ?  Professor 
Harding,  your  course,  to  say  the  least,  was  neither 
discreet  nor  kind." 

"  Precisely  what  I  think  of  your  course  toward  me," 
said  the  professor. 

"  But  I  meant  well,"  declared  Mr.  Beale. 

"  For  one  who  meant  well  you  have  done  very  badly, 
indeed,"  said  the  professor.  "For  my  own  part  I 
would  rather  acknowledge  being  a  knave  than  a  fool." 

With  a  very  stiff  bow  Professor  Harding  left  Mr. 
Beale,  who  was  apparently  transfixed  to  the  sidewalk 
with  astonishment. 

"  I  don't  wonder  Mrs.  Castellar  refused  him,"  he 
said,  as  soon  as  his  speech  returned.  "The  man 
hasn't  good  sense,  and  she  has  met  with  a  narrow 


33°  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

escape.  I  must  be  more  careful  when  I  select  a 
gentleman  for  her  again,"  and,  his  mind  occupied 
with  the  narrow  escape  she  had  had,  he  walked 
briskly  home,  determined  not  to  tell  his  wife  any 
thing  about  the  affair,  as  she  might  prevent  him  from 
trying  the  thing  over  again  with  some  other  man,  for 
he  felt  that  it  was  only  a  sort  of  affectation  in  Dolores 
to  declare  she  would  not  marry  again.  She  ought  to 
marry,  and  she  would  yet  be  convinced  of  the  fact. 
For  himself,  it  was  his  duty  to  introduce  her  to  the 
first  suitable  gentleman  he  could  find. 

As  he  walked  along  he  became  impressed  with  the 
idea  that  some  one  was  following  him,  and  his  blood 
began  to  boil.  This  was  too  much.  No  doubt  that 
silly  professor  was  bent  on  some  sort  of  revenge. 
Well,  he  would  lose  no  time  in  telling  the  man  what 
he  thought  of  him  and  his  conduct.  So  he  turned 
quickly  around  and  met  the  man  who  seemed  dog 
ging  his  footsteps  face  to  face.  As  he  did  so  each 
uttered  an  ejaculation. 

It  was  Alfred  Hastings. 

"  I  thought  I  could  not  be  mistaken,"  Alfred  said, 
as  soon  as  he  recovered  from  his  surprise  at  this  unex 
pected  movement  of  Mr.  Beale's.  "  I  was  not  quite 
sure,  and  I  waited  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  your  face 
before  I  made  myself  known.  Your  turning  around 
so  abruptly  startled  me  a  trifle." 

Mr.  Beale  laughed  heartily  and  gave  Alfred  his 
hand. 

"I  thought  it  was  another  person  entirely,"  he  said, 
"  or  I  would  not  have  been  so  abrupt.  In  fact,  you 
are  about  the  last  person  in  the  world  I  expected  to 
meet.  I  am  on  my  way  home,  will  you  walk  around 
with  me  ?" 

"Thanks,"  said  Alfred,  hesitatingly.  "I  fancy 
neither  you  nor  your  wife  will  be  very  glad  to  see  me.'' 

"For  my  part,"  said  Air.  Beale,  who  was  anxious 
to  hear  what  Alfred  had  to  say  for  himself  and  his 
present  wife,  "  I  am  willing  to  let  the  past  go.  I  ac 
knowledge  I  did  feel  rather  bitter  at  one  time.  Your 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  331 

act  seemed  to  me  very  mercenary,  and  there  is  no 
doubt  the  mortification  resulting  from  it  was  the  cause 
of  what  proved  the  fatal  illness  of  Rose." 

"  You  cannot  blame  me  more  deeply  for  my  con 
duct  than  I  blame  myself,"  he  replied,  determined  to 
eat  any  amount  of  humble  pie  rather  than  lose  the 
prospect  of  entering  Mr.  Beale's  house,  even  for  a  few 
moments.  In  truth,  he  had  been  following  him,  not 
to  make  himself  known,  but  to  see  if  he  could  find 
out  anything  concerning  Rick  or  his  whereabouts. 
He  had  found  Rick's  name  in  the  directory,  but  on. 
going  to  the  house  it  seemed  to  be  closed.  After 
watching  a  long  time  he  saw  an  elderly  and  peculiar- 
looking  woman  come  out  of  the  basement  door.  She 
was  so  unlike  any  one  Rick  would  be  likely  to  have 
about  him  he  was  somewhat  taken  by  surprise,  and 
before  it  occurred  to  him  to  accost  her  she  had  disap 
peared  around  the  corner.  He  then  betook  himself 
to  Mr.  Beale's  office,  where  he  arrived  in  time  to  see 
that  gentleman  set  out  on  his  way  home.  He  saw 
the  altercation  with  the  professor,  though  he  was 
not  near  enough  to  hear  what  it  was  about. 

"Still,"  said  Mr.  Beale,  with  his  usual  faculty  of 
coming  directly  to  the  point,  "  it  takes  a  mean  man  to 
do  such  a  thing." 

Alfred  winced. 

"  But  my  financial  affairs  were  in  such  a  state  I 
was  nearly  crazed,"  said  he.  "  I  could  no  more  have 
married  a  poor  girl  than  I  could  have  ridden  to  the 
moon.  I  felt  sure  of  being  misunderstood  in  the 
matter,  and,  therefore,  did  not  give  an  elaborate  ex 
planation." 

'•  Well,  its  done  and  past,  and  there  isn't  any  use  in 
talking  it  over  at  this  late  day.  Come  around  to  the 
house  to  dinner,  anyhow.  I  don't  think  Sarah  will 
object.  She  is  busy  getting  ready  to  go  out  in  the 
country.  Rick  went  some  days  ago,  and  she  misses 
Mrs.  Castellar  very  much." 

"  Ah,"  returned  Alfred,  "  I  believe  I  have  not  the 
honor  of  knowing  who  Mrs.  Castellar  is." 


332  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOJJ1L1TY. 

"  Why,  bless  me  !  you  ought  to  know.  She's  a  cou 
sin  to  your  first  wife  and  has  lived  in  Rick's  family 
for  several  years.  Her  father,  it  seems,  was  a  friend  of 
Rick's  father.  She  started  to  come  on  from  Cuba  to 
visit  your  wife,  and  when  she  got  to  Rick's  she  found 
her  cousin  was  dead  and  went  no  farther.  Rose  was 
sick,  and  she  turned  right  in  and  nursed  her, 
and  poor  Rose  got  so  fond  of  her,  believing  she  saved 
her  life,  she  could  never  let  her  go  afterwards.  So 
she  remained  in  the  family,  went  with  them  to 
Europe,  and  has  taken  care  of  Rick's  child  ever 
since  Rose  died;  in  fact,  she  did  that  for  years  before." 

"  It  is  strange  I  never  heard  that  Mrs.  Castellar 
came  on,"  said  Alfred,  speaking  with  difficulty,  for  he 
trembled  like  an  aspen — even  his  teeth  chattered. 

"  Ifnvasn't  so  strange  when  you  come  to  reflect  that 
her  cousin  was  dead  and  Rick  unfriendly  to  you. 
But  what  is  the  matter  with  you.  Have  you  got  the 
chills?" 

"  I  seem  to  have  one  now,"  Alfred  said,  "  but  I 
cannot  account  for  it.  True,  I  did  suffer  slightly 
from  chills  when  in  the  army,  but  I  thought  I  had  re 
covered.  Perhaps  the  change  of  climate  has  brought 
them  back." 

"  Perhaps  so.  Will  you  take  anything  for  it?  Here 
we  are  just  by  a  druggist's — 

"  No,  I  won't  take  any  drugs,  if  you  please,  but  if 
you've  no  objection  I'll  stop  and  get  a  pony  of 
brandy.  Will  you  have  something,  too  ?" 

"Thanks,  no.     I  seldom  drink  anything." 

"Take  a  cigar,  then.'' 

"1  believe  I  will.  Honestly,  Alfred,  you  have  aged 
fast  since  I  saw  you." 

"And  no  wonder.  My  life  has  been  a  hell  upon 
earth  ever  since  my  poor  first  wife  died." 

Mr.  Beale  opened  his  eyes  as  Alfred  ordered  and 
tossed  off  at  a  gulp  a  tumbler  of  brandy. 

"  A  desperate  remedy,"  he  said,  as  they  passed  out, 
"but  the  disease  is  equally  desperate.  Nothing  but 
brandy  ever  relieves  me  in  the  slightest  degree.  I 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  333 

believe  I  interrupted  you  while  you  were  speaking  of 
.Mrs.  Castellar.  I  beg  your  pardon." 

"  Oh,  don't  mention  it,"  said  Mr.  Beale.  "  I'm  ex 
tremely  sorry  to  find  you  so  ill,  Alfred.  I'm  afraid 
you  are  almost  broken  down,"  and  he  really  began  to 
be  quite  concerned. 

"  Bother  the  illness  !"  thought  Alfred.  "  It's  of  no 
consequence,"  he  said  aloud.  "I  think  Mrs.  Castel 
lar  has  a  child,  has  she  not?" 

"Yes,  a  daughter.  It  was  a  mere  infant  when  she 
reached  Idlefield,  and  she  named  it  for  Rose." 

"  I  have  heard,"  said  Alfred,  shaking  in  spite  of  the 
brandy,  "  that  Mrs.  Castellar  closely  resembled  my 
wife  Dolores." 

"  So  I  am  told.  She  is  a  magnificent  appearing 
woman  still,  and  she  must  have  been  a  great  beauty 
when  younger." 

"Why,  is  she  greatly  changed?"  asked  Alfred, 
quickly,  for  he  was  thrown  off  his  guard.  It  never 
occurred  to  him  that  Dolores  could  have  grown  old. 

"That  I  cannot  say,''  replied  Mr.  Beale,  "as  I 
never  saw  her  until  her  hair  was  quite  white." 

"Is  her  hair  white,  then?"  said  Alfred,  quite 
taken  aback  at  the  information. 

"As  white  as  cotton,"  declared  Mr.  Beale;  "but 
her  face  is  perfectly  beautiful." 

Alfred  was  silent.  How  strange  to  think  of  Dolores 
with  white  hair !  He  was  almost  resolved  to  return 
without  attempting  to  see  her;  but  no,  he  would 
prove  what  Mr.  Beale  said  for  himself. 

"She  is  not  at  home  now,  I  think  you  said,"  Alfred 
remarked,  casually.  "  I  am  sorry,  for  I  would  like  to 
see  her,  although  I  don't  care  to  meet  Rick.  He  is  a 
perfect  Indian,  and  never  forgives  an  injury,  so  we 
would  only  quarrel." 

"  They  are  away — have  been  to  Niagara,  and  I 
think  are  now  at  Saratoga.  They  may  return  soon, 
or  may  remain  some  time.  I  am  not  positive  about 
their  movements,  though  Sarah  will  probably  know." 

By  this  time  they  had  reached  the  house,  and  Mr. 


334  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

Beale  ushered  Alfred  into  the  parlor,  while  he  went 
up  to  tell  his  wife  of  the  arrival,  half  expecting  a 
gentle  reprimand,  for  it  was  not  Mrs.  Beales'  custom 
to  give  any  other. 

To  his  great  surprise  she  seemed  much  excited  as 
soon  as  he  imparted  his  information. 

"  I  will  not  see  the  wretch  !"  she  said.  Then, 
remembering  that  she  must  not  betray  Dolores'  secret 
to  her  husband,  whatever  else  she  did,  she  added, 
"Perhaps  I  ought  not  to  speak  so,  but  indeed  I  can 
not  bear  to  meet  him.  I  am  sure  he  has  come  for  no 
good  purpose.  He  either  wishes  to  spy  out  some 
thing My  dear,"  suddenly,  "  what  did  you  say  to 

him  ?" 

"  Nothing  at  all,  Sarah,  that  will  do  harm,  trust  me 
for  that.  Really,  now  I  come  to  think  of  it,  we  talked 
of  very  little  besides  Mrs.  Castellar,  who,  you  know, 
was  a  cousin  to  his  first  wife.  It  appears  he  never 
heard  of  her  coming  on  to  Rick's  at  all,  so  I  told  him 
how  it  happened — that  it  was  just  after  his  wife's 
death.  He  said  he  had  heard  she  was  greatly  like 
his  wife  and  would  like  to  see  her.  He  knew  she  had 
a  child.  Really,  my  dear,  if  you  could  see  him  you 
would  pity  him.  He  had  a  dreadful  chill  as  we  were 
walking  up,  his  teeth  chattered  so  he  could  hardly 
speak,  and  he  looked  dreadfully.  Good  gracious, 
Sarah  !  are  you  going  to  have  a  chill  too?  What  does 
ail  everybody  ?  Or  am  I  going  out  of  my  senses  ? 
D — n  it,  woman,  don't  faint  !" 

Mr.  Beale  was  not  usually  profane  or  even  rough  in 
speech,  but  he  was  thoroughly  frightened  and  wished 
to  show  a  bold  front.  Besides,  he  felt  a  shock  might 
restore  his  wife. 

"  I'm  not  going  to  faint,"  she  said,  tartly,  recovering 
herself  in  a  moment,  "and  you  are  not  losing  your 
senses  either,  for  a  very  excellent  reason,  you  never 
had  any  to  lose." 

"  I'm  sure  I  don't  know  what  I've  done,"  he  re 
plied,  astonished  at  his  wife's  strange  conduct.  "  But 
this  I  do  know,  Sarah,  I  meant  well." 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.         .  335 

CHAPTER    XLVII. 

A      STARTLING      DEMAND. 

It  chanced  that  Rick  and  Dolores  returned  home 
sooner  than  they  expected.  Both  had  in  their  minds 
a  pet  scheme  to  go  down  to  Idlefield  in  September, 
collect,  care  for  and  teach  a  number  of  needy  negroes 
through  the  winter,  giving  them  only  a  home  and  cloth 
ing  during  this  season,  and  in  the  spring  to  set  about 
cultivating  the  plantation,  paying  regular  wages  to  all 
upon  the  place.  There  were  negro  cabins  enough  to 
house  two  hundred,  and  they  proposed  to  take  the 
largest  for  a  school-room. 

The  professor  disposed  of,  there  was  nothing  to 
prevent  them  from  consulting  about  what  was  to  be 
done,  and  they  decided  that  the  sooner  they  entered 
upon  their  work  the  better.  Accordingly,  they  arrived 
home  the  very  evening  that  Alfred  called  at  Mr. 
Eeale's  and  began  laying  out  their  plans. 

"  My  adventure  with  the  professor,"  said  Dolores, 
"  and  several  other  things  which  occurred  during 
your  absence,  has  taught  me  that  it  is  impossible  for 
me  to  ever  move  in  society  with  any  pleasure,  situ 
ated  as  I  am  now.  I  am  in  a  false  position.  People 
seem  to  think  it  necessary  for  me  to  marry  again,  and 
this  subjects  me  to  many  annoyances.  But  I  have 
made  up  my  mind  to  devote  my  life  to  my  mother's 
people,  and  to  do  so  I  must  be  free  of  all  encum 
brances  other  than  I  now  have." 

It  was  now  August,  and  they  decided  to  leave  New 
York  by  September  ist  and  go  down  to  Idlefield. 
Rick  wrote  to  Mr.  White  that  same  evening,  asking 
him  to  meet  them  at  that  time.  The  old  man  had 
been  stopping  with  some  friends  in  Ohio — his  native 
State — and  had  expressed  himself  willing  to  return  to 
Idlefield  as  soon  as  they  were  ready  to  go. 

It  was  a  warm  night,  and  when  Dolores  went  up  to 
her  room  she  turned  the  gas  low  and  opened  the 
windows  to  let  in  all  the  air  possible.  It  was  past 
eleven  o'clock  and  the  street  was  nearly  deserted. 


336  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

She  sat  for  some  moments  with  the  moon  shining 
upon  her,  until  at  length  she  saw  some  one  standing 
in  the  shade  opposite,  apparently  gazing  intently  at 
the  house.  She  was  not  alarmed,  yet  something  in 
the  figure  of  the  man  who  watched  seemed  strangely 
familiar,  even  in  the  gloom,  calling  up  the  past  with 
startling  distinctness,  and  causing  her  to  close  the 
blinds  quickly  and  retire. 

She  thought  of  it  through  the  night  and  again  in 
the  morning,  but  she  did  not  mention  it,  even  when 
Rick  remarked  her  unusually  grave  face  and  asked 
the  cause.  He  went  out,  thinking  she  had  something 
upon  her  mind  of  which  she  did  not  care  to  speak. 
He  had  not  been  absent  more  than  five  mirute.s  when 
the  bell  rang,  and,  unfortunately  for  Dolores,  Aunt 
Nancy  chanced  to  be  going  through  the  hall,  at  the 
moment  and  opened  the  door.  There  was  not  a  ser 
vant  in  the  house  who  would  not  have  recognized 
Alfred,  but  Aunt  Nancy  had  never  seen  him.  To 
avert  suspicion  he  mumbled  over  something  about 
music  and  wishing  to  see  Mrs.  Castellar  a  moment. 

Thrown  quite  off  her  guard,  for  she  did  not  dream 
that  Alfred  was  in  the  city,  Dolores  went  to  the  room, 
which  was  kept  dark  on  account  of  the  heat,  and  was 
standing  quite  near  him  before  she  had  the  slightest 
idea  who  he  was.  Then  she  gave  a  little  start,  and, 
turning,  would  have  escaped  from  the  room,  but  he 
sprang  between  her  and  the  door. 

"Dolores,"  he  said,  in  a  low  tone,  "for  God's  sake 
grant  me  one  moment !  Sit  down.  I  must  speak 
with  you,  if  only  to  tell  you  of  my  sorrow  and  re 
morse." 

She  sat  down,  for  she  was  unable  to  stand,  and 
turned  her  face  toward  him,  white  and  pained,  but 
cold  and  proud  still. 

"  I  will  listen  to  you  just  five  minutes,"  she  said, 
taking  out  her  watch  as  she  spoke,  "  though  your 
sorrow  and  your  remorse  are  nothing  to  me." 

"  Why  ?"  he  asked.  "Am  I  nothing  to  you  now?" 
trying  to  throw  a  world  of  pathos  in  his  tone. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  337 

"You  are  nothing,"  she  returned,  "except  a  ter 
rible  nightmare  to  me — a  nightmare  of  which  only  the 
sleep  of  death  will  relieve  me." 

"I  do  not  wonder  you  think  of  me  with  bitterness," 
he  said,  after  a  pause.  "I  treated  you  vilely,  and  my 
only  excuse  is  that  I  was  insane  at  the  time." 

"Your  insanity  has  lasted  for  some  years,"  she 
replied.  "  It  led  you  to  forget  me  and  marry  again. 
I  suppose  you  are  aware  that  the  crime  you  com 
mitted  was  a  State's  prison  offence?" 

"  I  did  not  know  you  were  living,  believe  me,"  he 
said.  "  I  have  suffered  all  the  torments  of  the  damned 
with  my  second  wife." 

"Ah  !"  coolly.  "  I  did  not  know  a  man  could  take 
a  second  wife  while  the  first  one  was  alive  except 
he  procured  a  divorce." 

"  It  is  true.  You,  whom  I  once  despised,  are  my 
only  true  wife.  The  arrogant  woman  who  now  bears 
my  name,  though  she  is  high-born  and  very  proud, 
has  no  right  to  bear  it.  Dolores,  I  have  come  with 
no  thought  to  annoy  you,  but  to  beg  you  humbly  to 
return  with  me  as  my  wife.  We  can  tell  some  story 
of  your  miraculous  return  to  life  which  the  people 
will  believe,  and  then  I  shall  be  happy  once  more.  I 
promise  you  tenfold  the  devotion  I  ever  showed  you 
in  days  past  and  gone.  I " 

"You  forget,"  she  interrupted,  "that  I  have  not  a 
cent  in  the  world  now,  but  earn  my  living  in  Rick's 
house  by  caring  for  his  child.  I  could  bring  you  no 
dower." 

"  Perhaps  you  have  a  right  to  taunt  me  thus.  If  it 
gives  you  any  comfort  to  do  it,  I  certainly  can  bear 
it.  I  will  take  anything  at  your  hands  if  you  will 
only  promise  to  come  back  to  me  once  more.  Cannot 
— will  you  not  forgive  me,  my  wife  ?" 

He  came  forward  and  knelt  at  her  feet.  She  mo 
tioned  him  to  arise,  at  the  same  time  drawing  away. 

"  I  can  never  forgive  you,"  she  said.  "  If  I  were 
obliged  to  choose  to-day  between  your  arms  and 
those  of  death  I  would  gladly  accept  the  embrace  of 


33^  SUBJDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

:he  latter.  No,  Alfred,  I  will  never  see  you  again  of 
my  own  free  will.  I  do  not  believe  in  your  contrition, 
I  do  not  believe  in  your  love.  I  believe  in  nothing 
which  has  once  failed  me  so  utterly.  How  you  found 
me  out  I  cannot  tell,  but  rest  assured  I  shall  take 
means  to  protect  myself  from  you  in  the  future." 

"  I  cannot  take  this  as  your  final  decision,"  he  said. 
"  I  first  knew  you  were  alive  when  Rick  called  me  a 
bigamist,  when  we  met  during  the  war,  and  when  I 
came  on  yesterday  I  was  so  fortunate  as  to  meet  Mr. 
Beale,  who  gave  me  a  long  account  of  you,  or  rather 
Mrs.  Castellar,  and  I  knew  at  once  it  could  only  be 
you.  While  I  was  in  doubt  as  to  your  existence  I 
mourned  you  as  no  one  ever  mourned  the  dead  ; 
now  I  know  you  are  living  I  will  not  rest  until  you 
have  promised  to  forgive  me  and  return  with  me  to 
my  home.  Dolores,  surely  you  cannot  refuse  me  ?"  He 
tried  to  take  her  hand  as  he  ceased  speaking,  but  she 
drew  it  quickly  away. 

"Do  not  touch  me!"  she  cried,  "or  I  will  alarm 
the  house."  She  trembled  with  fright,  and  the  horri 
ble  dread  his  presence  gave  her,  and  the  thought  ol 
having  to  endure  his  touch  was  more  than  she  could 
bear.  For  a  moment  he  seemed  inclined  to  desist 
then,  as  if  seized  with  a  sudden  determination,  he 
sprang  forward  and  caught  her  in  his  arms. 

"Hush!"  he  said,  "hush!"  as  she  attempted  to 
cry  out,  drawing  her  face  down  upon  his  shouldei 
to  muffle  the  sound  of  her  voice.  "Do  you  think  ) 
would  harm  you  ?  Why  do  you  fear  me,  Dolores  ?" 

"  I  loathe  and  abhor  you  !"  she  said  ;  and  she  tried  to 
scream  for  Tot,  thinking  she  would  render  the  most 
efficient  aid  ;  but  again  he  pressed  her  face  against  hu 
shoulder,  to  prevent  her  from  calling. 

"  Will  you  go  with  me  at  once  ?"  he  asked,  with 
brutal  fierceness. 

"  Never  !"  she  exclaimed,  raising  her  head  with  an 
effort.  And  then  her  ear  caught  the  sound  of  a  key 
turning  in  the  lock  of  the  street  door. 

"Rick!"   she   called,  desperately,  and  though  her 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  339 

face  was  again  hidden,  she  heard  the  quick  footsteps 
of  some  one  entering  the  room. 

The  new-comer  uttered  no  word,  but,  from  the  step, 
she  was  sure  it  was  Rick.  A  moment  later  a  hand 
was  laid  heavily  upon  Alfred's  shoulder,  and,  looking 
up,  he  released  her,  with  a  muttered  oath.  As  he  did 
so  a  blow  sent  him  reeling  to  the  floor,  and  Rick 
caught  Dolores,  who  also  seemed  about  to  fall. 

"  I  would  take  you  up-stairs,"  he  said,  "but  some 
one  then  might  know.  Don't  be  frightened  " — in  a 
soothing  tone — "  he  shall  not  harm  you  now  or  ever." 

He  placed  her  upon  a  sofa,  and  then  turned  to 
Alfred,  who  had  risen  to  his  feet,  and,  white  with 
rage,  was  advancing  toward  him. 

"  How  dare  you  enter  my  house  ?"  Rick  demanded, 
as  he  closed  the  door.  "  Fortunately,  I  heard  of 
your  arrival  in  the  city,  and  came  back  to  warn 
Dolores.  I  find  I  am  not  a  moment  too  soon.  Do 
you  know  what  I  am  going  to  do  with  you?" 

"  I  am  not  afraid  of  your  threats,"  said  Alfred,  put 
ting  on  a  bold  face.  "  I  came  for  my  wife,  and  I  will 
have  her,  too,  or  I  will  know  the  reason  why." 

"I  am  going,"  said  Rick,  without  heeding  his  in 
terruption,  "to  have  you  arrested  for  attempted 
murder  in  two  special  instances,  and  then  for  bigamy. 
That  makes  three  indictments,  to  say  nothing  of 
numerous  other  crimes.  However,  these  three  will  be 
enough  to  keep  you  in  prison  for  the  remainder  of 
your  life." 

"  How  are  you  going  to  get  your  proof  ?"  asked 
Alfred,  defiantly. 

"  Probably,"  returned  Rick,  in  a  quiet  tone,  "  you 
are  not  aware  that  you  failed  to  murder  Sue,  and  in 
this  State  the  evidence  of  a  negro  holds  good,  more 
especially  when  it  is  strengthened  by  a  long  chain  of 
circumstantial  evidence.  Perhaps  you  are  not  aware 
that  there  are  other  witnesses  that  can  readily  be  pro 
cured  ?  There  is  Ryan,  and  there  are  the  man  and 
his  wife  who  occupied  the  cabin  where  Dolores  found 
shelter  when  you  were  pursuing  her,  and  where  you 


34°  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

failed  to  find  her,  though  she  heard  every  word  that 
passed  during  your  short  call,  which  was  brought  to  a 
hasty  close  by  Peter's  appearance  upon  the  scene. 
And  then " 

"  Enough  !"  cried  Alfred,  blanching  at  Rick's 
words.  "  You  seem  to  have  dogged  my  steps  from 
the  day  I  first  angered  you  years  ago  and  possessed 
yourself  of  the  facts  concerning  all  the  evil  acts  of 
my  life  — 

"  With  convincing  proofs.  Knowing  this,  are  you 
willing  to  retire,  promising  never  to  molest  Dolores 
further  during  your  natural  life  ?'' 

"I  am,  for  I  am  powerless." 

"  And  will  you  leave  this  city  at  once  ?" 

"  This  very  day — the  sooner  the  better.  Have  you 
any  further  demands  ?" 

"  There  is  a  young  mulatto  boy — the  only  son  you 
ever  had — named  Pete.  Where  is  he  now  ?  He  was 
Sue's  grandchild,  you  know." 

"  He  has  left  the  place — I  speak  the  truth — and  I 
do  not  know  where  he  has  gone." 

."  Where  is  the  boy's  mother  ?" 

"  Honestly,  I  do  not  know." 

At  this  moment  the  door  opened  and  Rose  ran  into 
the  room,  the  picture  of  health  and  beauty,  now  a  tall 
girl  of  ten  or  eleven  years. 

"  Mamma  !"  she  said,  but  observing  the  stranger, 
she  stopped  suddenly  and  walked  shyly  to  her 
mother's  side.  "  Are  you  not  well  this  morning, 
mamma  ?"  she  asked,  affectionately,  but  in  a  low  tone. 

Alfred  watched  her,  his  face  showing  strong  emotion. 

"  Is  this  my — my —  ?"  he  began. 

"Yes,"  returned  Rick,  "  it  is  Mrs.  Castellar's  child. 
Rose,  come  and  speak  to  the  gentleman,  dear,"  for  he 
had  not  the  heart  to  refuse  the  miserable  man  the 
sight  of  his  child,  though  his  look  warned  Alfred 
that  there  was  not  to  be  a  scene. 

Rose  went  and  put  out  her  hand  dutifully,  scanning 
the  face  of  the  man  whose  eyes- sought  hers  wildly 
with  evident  distrust. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  341 

"  Will  you  kiss  me,  my  dear  ?"  he  asked,  in  as  quiet 
a  tone  as  he  could  command. 

"  No,"  she  said.  "  I  am  too  old  to  kiss  strange 
gentlemen.  Mamma  says  so." 

"  Then  may  I  not  kiss  you  ?" 

She  looked  in  his  face  again,  and,  child  as  she  was, 
she  understood  from  the  tense  lines  about  the  mouth 
and  the  wild,  baffled  look  in  his  face  that  he  was  un 
dergoing  some  strong  emotion  which  he  was  endeavor 
ing  to  control,  and  something  like  pity  came  into  her 
soft  eyes  as  she  said,  very  seriously  : 

"  I  don't  see  why  you  care  to  kiss  me,  but  if  you 
truly  do  you  may." 

He  folded  her  in  his  arms  and  kissed  her  twice,  so 
impetuously  she  was  frightened,  and  as  soon  as  she 
was  released  she  crept  back  to  her  mother's  side. 

"  Mamma,"  she  said,  ".let  us  go  up-stairs." 

Alfred's  eyes  followed  her  until  his  gaze  was  dis 
tracted  by  a  curly  head  peeping  in  at  the  door.  It 
was  Halbert,  who  usually  followed  Rose  like  a 
shadow. 

"  What  is  it,  my  son  ?"  Rick  asked,  and  Dolores 
rose  to  go,  taking  her  child  by  the  hand  as  she 
did  so. 

"Great  Heaven  !"  Alfred  cried.  "What  I  threw 
away  years  ago  I  would  give  all  the  world  to  regain  !" 

"  Will  you  please  send  Tot  for  Halbert  ?''  Rick 
asked  of  Dolores,  as  she  was  passing  out  of  the  room. 

"  I  will,"  she  answered,  pausing  a  moment.  "  Mr. 
Hastings,  I  wish  you  good  morning,"  and  this  was 
her  only  farewell. 

Alfred  glanced  toward  Halbert,  saying,  in  an  ab 
sent  sort  of  way,  that  he  was  a  fine  boy,  and,  as  Tot 
entered  the  room,  he  started  to  his  feet. 

"  Come,  Mas'r  Halbert,"  she  said,  without  glancing 
toward  Alfred.  Seeing  this,  Rick  spoke. 

"  Tot,"  he  said,  "  do  you  recognize  this  man  ?" 

"  I  do,  Mas'r  Rick,"  she  answered,  calmly,  almost 
contemptuously.  "Least,  I  knowed  him  once,  to  my 
cost.  Den  I  sposed  he  was  very  grand  ;  but,  'deed,. 


342  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

Mas'r,  I  wouldn't  change  places  with  him  now.  No, 
'deed  I  wouldn't."  And  taking  Halbert  by  the  hand 
she  led  him  away.  Alfred  was  the  first  to  speak. 

"  I  am  satisfied,"  he  said,  huskily.  "I  was  a  fool, 
Rick,  to  ever  cross  your  path  as  I  did  years  ago.  It 
was  an  even  question  with  me  whether  to  do  it  or  not. 
If  I  had  not,  I  might  have  led  a  tolerably  respectable 
life  all  through  ;  as  it  is,  it  could  not  be  much  worse. 
I  have  failed  even  to  achieve  the  success  bad  men 
sometimes  accomplish.  The  only  thing  I  have  done 
is  to  retain  Riverton  in  the  family  ;  but  that  is  now  of 
little  consequence,  since  the  family  is  so  disgraced  in 
other  respects.  One  thing,  however,  I  have  not  lost, 
and  that  is  capacity  for  suffering." 

"  You  can  never  suffer  the  half  you  deserve,"  Rick 
answered,  affecting  a  sternness  he  was  far  from  feel 
ing,  for  he  began  to  pity  the  miserable  man  before 
him.  "  Neither  can  you  suffer  one-tenth  the  pangs 
Dolores  endured  at  your  hands.  Go  !  I  have  been 
lenient  with  you.  I  promised  Rose  I  would  care  for 
her  and  your  child,  and  I  shall  do  it.  But  never  cross 
our  paths  again  or  I  will  not  answer  for  the  conse 
quences." 

Without  another  word  Alfred  left  the  house.  He 
went  down  the  street  to  the  corner,  crossed  over  and 
came  back  on  the  opposite  side,  watching  the  upper 
windows  to  try  and  catch  another  glimpse  of  his  wife's 
face  ;  but  not  succeeding  in  the  attempt,  he  walked 
away,  drooping  his  head  in  a  dejected  manner,  and 
wishing  in  his  heart  he  had  the  courage  to  end  his 
miserable  life. 

"One  thing  I  am  resolved  upon,"  he  muttered, 
"  and  that  is  to  never  live  another  day  with  the  hate 
ful  woman  I  have  called  wife  for  the  past  few  years. 
She  fears  nothing  but  disgrace  for  herself,  and  I  can 
manage  her.  I  will  tell  her  I  have  just  found  out 
that  my  first  wife  is  still  living,  and  if  she  will  go 
away  quietly  I  will  not  proclaim  the  fact  or  attempt 
to  live  with  Dolores.  That  will  be  enough  ;  she  will 
then  leave  me  in  comparative  peace." 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  345 

CHAPTER   XLVIII. 

RICK'S    SCHOOL. 

The  first  of  September  found  Rick  and  his  house 
hold  established  at  Idleiield.  The  old  place  was  left 
standing,  but  that  was  all.  It  had  been  converted 
during  the  last  year  of  the  war  into  headquarters  for 
the  colonel  of  a  rebel  regiment,  the  negro  cabins 
doing  duty  for  the  under  officers.  The  furniture  was 
broken,  some  of  it  having  been  split  up  for  firewood. 
The  walls  were  defaced,  the  carpets  cut  into  strips 
and  the  staircase  nearly  cut  away.  The  grounds 
about  the  place  were  devoid  of  grass,  it  having  been 
trampled  upon  constantly  by  men  and  horses.  The 
windows  were  broken,  the  shutters  unhinged,  and 
obscene  legends  were  written  in  pencil  all  over  the 
walls,  without  and  within.  The  piano  had  been  de 
stroyed  and  the  pictures  were  all  broken  or  defaced. 

The  place  looked  the  picture  of  desolation.  The 
only  verdure  about  the  house  or  grounds  consisted  of 
rank  weeds,  which  thrust  up  their  tall  heads  here  and 
there,  their  seeds  having  been  wind-blown  and  taken 
root.  Within,  the  house  was  in  such  a  filthy  condition 
it  was  impossible  to  live  in  it  until  it  was  thoroughly 
cleansed. 

Dolores  regarded  it  with  eyes  overflowing  with 
tears,  as  she  compared  it  with  its  appearance  when, 
weary,  homeless  wanderers,  she  and  Tot  had  sought 
its  shelter.  Mammy,  Mandy  and  Tot  bewailed  the 
general  devastation,  and  wished  all  manner  of  bad 
luck  to  the  perpetrators,  Mose  joining  in  with  the 
general  chorus.  Even  Mr.  White,  who  awaited  them, 
and  had  been  viewing  the  scene  for  some  hours,  felt 
his  eyes  moisten  afresh  as  he  saw  the  pained  look 
upon  Rick's  face. 

"  Did  you  ever  !"  Miss  Nancy  cried  at  last.  "  Why, 
it  looks  as  ef  a  passle  o'  hogs  had  been  rootin'  round, 
out-door  an'  in.  Good  airth  !  you  don't  tell  me  any 
thing  human  ever  put  the  place  in  sich  a  condition?" 

"  I  am  truly  thankful  that  my  poor  father  is  in  his 


344  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

grave,"  said  Rick,  uttering  the  same  thought  he  had 
expressed  once  before  and  felt  a  hundred  times. 
"  But,"  he  added,  after  a  moment's  reflection,  "  it  is  of 
no  use  to  lament  the  fact  longer.  We  must  begin  at 
once  and  endeavor  to  bring  order  out  of  chaos." 

While  he  spoke  Dolores  returned  from  the  garden, 
where  she  had  found  one  late-blooming,  lonely  rose. 

"  See,"  she  said,  "here  is  a  beautiful  flower  which  I 
have  found  in  the  place  that  looks  so  like  a  desert. 
Is  it  not  a  good  omen  ?" 

"  It  is,  indeed,"  Rick  answered.  "  You  are  always 
sure  to  find  something  bright,  Rita,  however  dark  the 
day  may  be.  Perhaps  it  is  to  show  us  we  ma£  yet 
make  this  wilderness  blossom  as  the  rose." 

He  bent  to  inhale  the  perfume  of  the  flower  as  he 
spoke,  and  as  he  did  so,  Dolores,  struck  suddenly 
with  the  idea,  drew  the  stem  through  the  button-hole 
of  his  coat  and  fastened  it. 

"  Come,"  she  said,  brightly,  breaking  into  his 
murmured  thanks,  "  let  us  begin  work  at  once.  We 
will  clear  out  one  of  the  cabins  and  make  it  comfortable 
for  the  children,  and  for  you  to  rest  in  when  tired  ; 
another  we  will  clear  out  and  have  for  our  dining- 
room  ;  and  a  third  we  will  take  tostoie  our  trunks  and 
belongings.  Fortunately,  I  anticipated  encountering  a 
great  quantity  of  dirt,  and  one  trunk  is  filled  with 
soap,  brushes,  cleaning  cloths,  and  similar  articles." 

As  soon  as  this  was  mentioned  Miss  Nancy,  Mandy, 
Mammy  and  Tot  wiped  their  eyes  and  gathered 
around  Dolores.  They  were  in  their  element  now,  or 
were  to  be  as  soon  as  the  trunk  mentioned  could  be 
got  at.  Mr.  White  came  forward  with  a  couple  of 
brooms,  which,  with  his  usual  forethought,  he  had 
provided.  One  cabin,  the  cleanest  of  all,  was  swept 
out  and  the  trunks  deposited  in  it,  the  children  climb 
ing  upon  them  and  munching  crackers  and  ginger- 
snaps  with  a  resigned  air.  Next,  Mandy's  cottage  was 
swept  and  scrubbed,  and  one  or  two  chairs  cleaned 
and  brought  from  the  house  to  put  in  it.  This  was  to 
be  the  family  sitting-room.  The  dining-room  was 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOUIL1TY.  345 

then  got  ready  and  a  lunch  was  prepared,  after  which 
beds  were  arranged  for  the  night,  as  it  was  growing 
late. 

And  so  they  passed  the  first  night  after  their  return, 
•on  beds  suddenly  improvised,  but  weariness  of  body 
rendered  them  comfortable,  even  enjoyable. 

Rick  had  sent  on  the  furniture  from  his  New  York 
house  by  way  of  New  Orleans,  as  to  have  sent  it  by 
rail  would  have  cost  a  large  amount  for  transporta 
tion.  It  would  not  arrive,  in  all  probability,  in  a 
week  or  more,  but  the  house  was  made  ready  to  re 
ceive  it. 

Meanwhile  the  news  of  his  return  was  spread 
about  the  vicinity,  and  soon  after  negroes  came  flock 
ing  to  the  place.  All  had  tales  of  suffering  and  pri 
vation  to  tell.  They  had  been  robbed  of  the  greater 
portion  of  their  labor — robbed  of  all  of  it,  indeed,  in 
one  way  and  another. 

"  I  was  not  prepared  to  hear  that  these  dependent 
freedmen  had  been  the  victims  of  so  much  wrong 
doing,"  thought  Rick.  "  If  all  they  tell  me  be  true, 
they  are  indeed  worse  off  now  than  ever.  The  sys 
tem  of  farming  out  their  land  on  shares  now  prac 
tised  by  many  of  the  planters  is  one  that  must  be 
radically  changed  if  we  expect  to  retain  these  ac 
climated  workers ;  and  what  would  the  Southern 
States  be  without  them  ?" 

Rick  listened  to  each  tale  very  attentively,  because 
he  wanted  to  get  at  the  true  situation,  if  possible,  so 
as  to  be  able  to  combat  the  difficulties  the  more 
readily.  He  was  fast  learning  of  the  many  little 
underhand  games  his  old  neighbors  were  practising 
upon  their  former  slaves,  hoping  thereby  to  make 
their  lives  more  miserable,  if  possible,  than  before 
their  emancipation  ;  and  none  seemed  to  him  more 
cruel  than  to  make  an  agreement  with  the  negro 
whereby  all  the  crops  should  be  sold  by  the  planter, 
and,  after  deducting  expenses,  the  proceeds  to  be 
divided  between  them  in  a  certain  ratio.  This  looked 
very  fair  on  its  face,  and  if  carried  out  in  a  true  spirit 


34^  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

would  have  been  entirely  satisfactory  ;  but  when  it  is- 
known  thaf  the  negro  was  compelled  to  purchase  all 
his  daily  supplies  from  the  planter  or  his  go-between 
at  prices  many  times  more  than  they  were  worth,  and 
these  and  many  extras  had  to  be  deducted  from  his 
share,  it  will  be  understood  why  these  deluded  people 
had  tales  to  tell  to  one  in  whom  they  had  every  reason 
to  confide. 

Rick  received  all  who  came  until  he  had  room  for 
no  more.  Many  of  his  old  slaves  were  among  the 
number — nearly  one-third  of  those  he  once  possessed 
— and  the  remainder  were  strangers.  As  soon  as 
the  furniture  arrived  the  house  was  made  more 
comfortable,  and  men  were  set  to  work  to  sod  the 
lawn  and  otherwise  beautify  it. 

The  place  was  then  put  in  order  to  receive  the  crops 
of  next  season,  for  the  fields  were  overgrown  with 
weeds.  For  all  this  work  Rick  paid  wages,  and  he 
personally  superintended  all  purchases,  taking  pains 
that  his  men  should  not  be  cheated.  By  this  means, 
when  the  work  was  done,  the  families  were  comfort 
ably  clad,  and,  being  snugly  housed,  were  ready  to 
attend  the  school. 

It  was  the  first  of  December  when  the  school  began. 
The  morning  of  each  day  was  spent  by  half  the  peo 
ple  upon  the  place  in  labor,  the  other  half  attending 
to  their  lessons,  much  of  the  instruction  being  oral 
at  first.  In  the  afternoon  those  who  had  morning 
lessons  labored,  and  the  remainder  repaired  to  the 
school-room.  The  progress  made  was  wonderful. 
Aside  from  teaching  their  students  how  to  read  and 
write,  Rick  and  Dolores  gave  lessons  in  mental  arith 
metic,  a  branch  greatly  needed,  as  it  aided  in  pre 
venting  their  people  from  being  cheated  in  making 
change.  Many  other  rudimental  branches  were  taught, 
together  with  subjects  not  often  introduced  in  schools, 
but  all  of  importance  in  fitting  their  pupils  to  battle 
with  the  new  life  just  opened  to  them  in  the  most 
practical  way. 

Hundreds  of   the   freed    negroes  sought    IdlefieUl 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  347 

•during  the  year  which  followed,  and  for  lack  of  room 
Rick  was  obliged  to  turn  many  away.  It  was  his  de 
sire  to  change  his  pupils  every  two  years.  His  old 
slaves,  he  declared,  were  welcome  to  remain  if  they 
wished,  but  when  the  new-comers  had  received  a 
practical  education  to  fit  them  to  cope  with  the  world, 
he  preferred  to  take  in  their  place  the  ignorant  and 
needy  who  flocked  to  him  on  every  side.  Accord 
ingly,  when  two  years  had  passed,  he  made  a  radical 
change,  taking  in  nearly  two  hundred  strangers  ;  but, 
before  two  months  had  passed  away,  those  who  had 
been  his  pupils  for  the  past  two  years  returned,  sick 
and  weary,  unable  to  find  work.  He  looked  about 
and  saw  the  mistake  he  had  made.  It  was  not  the 
busiest  season  of  the  year  ;  he  should  have  waited 
until  the  spring-time.  So  he  put  up  a  number  of 
extra  cabins  and  accommodated  them  as  well  as  he 
could,  striving  when  the  spring  came  to  find  them 
suitable  employment. 

Again  he  failed,  not  because  the  people  were  in 
competent,  but  because  all  the  Southern  men  who 
had  heard  of  his  plan  condemned  it,  and  were  deter 
mined  to  throw  cold  water  upon  his  efforts  to  elevate 
in  any  degree  the  negro  race.  He  then  saw  that  his 
only  plan  was  to  send  them  to  a  distance,  charging 
them  to  say  nothing  of  the  education  they  had  re 
ceived,  but  let  it  show  in  their  acts.  This  worked 
better,  yet  still  there  was  great  difficulty. 

Open  rebellion  there  was  not  at  the  time,  as  there 
were  still  Union  troops  stationed  here  and  there 
throughout  the  South  ;  but  there  was  much  inward 
profanity  and  curses,  not  loud  but  deep,  against  Rick 
and  his  efforts  to  ameliorate  the  condition  of  the 
negroes.  Had  the  neighboring  planters  coincided 
with  him  it  would  have  been  far  better  for  both. 
Their  plantations  were  in  need  of  laborers,  and  if 
properly  cultivated  would  have  doubly  repaid  them 
for  paying  the  highest  wages  ;  but  they  had  sworn 
not  to  humor  Rick  in  his  whim.  The  idea  of  teaching 
negroes  was  utterly  absurd,  they  said.  All  they 


34  SUBDUED    SOUTI1MKN     NUi.lLliV. 

needed  to  know  was  how  to  work,  and  they  would 
never  do  that  so  long  as  the  lash  was  withheld. 
Many  whom  the  war  had  impoverished  could  have 
readily  retrieved  their  fortunes  within  a  few  years 
afterward,  had  they  not  neglected  everything  and  let 
the  golden  opportunity  pass  by. 

Meanwhile  cotton  was  still  bearing  a  high  price. 
Idlefield  paid  its  expenses,  school,  food  and  clothing 
for  the  laborers,  everything  included,  because,  as  yet, 
cotton  crops  through  the  South,  generally,  had  been 
neglected,  and  the  price  of  that  staple  was  so  great 
that  those  who  went  at  once  to  work  to  raise  it 
realized  almost  a  fortune  from  a  single  crop.  Thus 
it  was  that  Rick,  in  the  face  of  all  predictions  to  the 
contrary,  made  his  experiment  a  success  in  every  way. 

Not  that  careful  management  came  to  him  naturally. 
He  had  spent  money  too  lavishly  in  his  youth  to  know 
how  to  practice  economy  in  anything  all  at  once  ;  but 
Mr.  White  was  invaluable  in  this  way,  and  Miss 
Nancy,  having  been  trained  in  a  strict  school,  had 
learned  how  to  make  the  most  of  everything.  She 
taught  Dolores,  Mandy  and  Mammy  many  lessons  in 
domestic  economy,  which  proved  of  great  benefit 
to  them,  and  to  Rick,  so  far  as  expenses  were 
concerned. 

Dolores  tried  to  teach  this  to  the  women  who  were 
being  educated  as  cooks,  chambermaids  and  seam 
stresses,  for  the  negroes,  having  been  reared  in  the 
midst  of  plenty,  where  waste,  so  far  as  their  masters' 
tables  were  concerned,  was  the  order  of  the  day,  had 
no  idea  of  anything  but  extreme  prodigality,  so  long 
as  there  was  anything  to  be  prodigal  with.  It  re 
quired  patience  and  tact  to  teach  all  these  things 
thoroughly ;  but  the  effect  of  the  teaching  was 
wonderful,  for  it  gradually  fitted  the  pupils  to  take 
positions  where  they  could  earn  their  bread,  not  in 
ease,  but  with  moderate  labor — and  for  this,  at  the 
time  the  slaves  were  set  free,  they  were  far  from  being 
competent,  as  their  previous  training  had  all  been 
with,  a  view  to  keep  them  in  ignorance  of  everything 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  349 

except  hard  work  in  some  special  way,  and  to  do  that 
in  the  hardest  possible  manner. 

A  few  other  men  to  co-operate  with  Rick  in  rinding 
situations  for  his  pupils  would  have  made  everything 
easy,  but  these  were  not  to  be  found.  The  Southerners 
did  not  want  "  educated  niggers,"  and  as  the  years 
went  on  he  found  himself  with  a  larger  and  larger 
number  of  pupils  and  ex-pupils,  until  he  saw  that 
something  must  be  done,  or,  notwithstanding  his  good 
management,  the  school  would  in  a  few  years  eat  up 
all  his  large  fortune. 


CHAPTER   XLIX. 
THE   DOCTOR'S   RETURN. 

The  years  passed  by  without  material  change  to 
Rick  and  the  people  in  his  charge.  His  school  went 
on  gaining  in  numbers  with  each  year,  and,  though  a 
rich  man  still,  Rick  had  expended  a  large  sum  of 
money  to  maintain  it  and  raise  his  pupils  to  a  more 
elevated  position,  with,  as  it  sometimes  seemed,  the 
solid  world  against  him — certainly  the  solid  South. 
Yet,  in  spite  of  the  determination  of  the  Southern* 
whites  to  keep  the  despised  race  in  a  bondage  almost 
as  bitter  as  before,  in  spite  of  their  outcry  against  all 
who  strove  to  ameliorate  their  condition,  and  their 
expressed  dislike  of  educated  negroes,  as  they  called 
those  who  were  able  to  read,  write,  and  keep  their 
own  small  accounts,  many  of  those  who  left  Rick's 
protection,  though  baffled  at  first  at  every  turn,  at 
length,  through  sheer  force  of  their  superiority, 
drifted  into  positions,  and  kept  them  through  their 
capability,  though  they  were  still  cheated  in  every 
manner  possible.  The  Southern  people  would  not 
learn  the  lesson,  that  their  servants  did  not  belong  to 
them,  body  and  soul  ;  that  they  were  rational  beings, 
deserving  of  kind  treatment. 

Rose   had  now  grown  to   be  a  beautiful  and  ac 
complished  young  woman,   being  invaluable  to  Rick 


35°  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

and  her  mother.  Halbert  was  in  a  Northern  college,  but 
she  had  received  her  whole  education  at  home — from 
her  mother,  the  rudimental  branches,  with  Spanish  and 
music ;  from  Rick,  mathematics,  and  the  higher  scien 
tific  studies  taught  in  schools.  She  became  a  great 
favorite  of  his,  and  at  length  solved  the  problem  of 
how  the  negroes  should  be  disposed  of  as  soon  as 
they  had  finished  the  simple  course  laid  out  for  them. 

"  Uncle  Rick,"  she  said,  "  I  remember,  though  only 
a  child,  the  trouble  Aunty  Beale  had  with  her  servants, 
and  she  used  often  to  envy  mamma  hers.  Why 
wouldn't  it  be  a  good  plan  to  have  intelligence  offices 
established  for  our  negroes  in  the  North  ?  It  would 
never  do  to  send  them  on  alone  and  unprovided  for 
into  a  strange  country  ;  but  certainly  it  would  pay  to 
start  some  sort  of  establishment  where  they  could 
work  for  their  board  a  certain  number  of  hours  in  the 
day  until  they  found  suitable  places.  You  could  give 
each  a  recommendation,  saying  for  what  work  they 
were  best  fitted,  and  that  would  help  them,  would  it 
not?" 

"Why,  Rose,"  he  answered,  greatly  pleased,  "your 
idea  is  a  good  one,  and  I  will  act  upon  it.  In  one 
way  the  trouble  to  get  them  places  here  is  greater 
than  ever.  Since  the  withdrawal  of  the  troops  from 
the  South  the  planters  fear  nothing,  and  their  conduct 
is,  if  possible,  more  disgraceful  than  ever.  Instead  of 
finding  that  matters  are  mending,  they  grow  worse 
and  worse." 

"  Perhaps  at  the  first,"  she  said,  "  there  might  be  a 
little  difficulty;  but  as  soon  as  it  was  generally  known 
how  competent  our  people  are  they  would  be  picked 
up  at  once.  This  might  probably  cause  the  price  of 
labor  to  fall  at  the  North,  as  it  would  make  more- 
servants  than  employers,  but  then  the  matter 
would,  no  doubt,  adjust  itself  in  time,  for  the 
white  servants  at  the  North  could  come  down  here. 
Uncle  Rick,  I  would  really  like  Mrs.  Thorburn,  who 
knocked  poor  Sally's  eye  out  when  she  threw  the  fiat- 
iron  at  her,  had  for  a  month  or  two  the  Bfidget 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  351 

Aunty  Beale  happened  to  get  once.  If  there  were 
any  eyes  to  be  knocked  out  Bridget  would  be  the  one 
to  do  it,  and  it  wouldn't  be  her  eye  that  was  harmed, 
either." 

Rick  laughed,  and  was  about  to  answer,  when  a 
light  carriage  came  in  sight,  and,  a  moment  later, 
paused  at  the  gate 'below.  Some  one  who  looked 
strangely  familiar  sprang  from  it,  fastened  his  horse, 
and  came  up  the  walk  to  the  house.  It  was  a  gentle 
man  of  thirty  years  or  more,  with  close-cut  blonde 
hair,  and  a  heavy  blonde  moustache  concealing  his 
mouth,  though  his  face  was  somewhat  bronzed.  He 
was  distinguished-looking,  rather  than  handsome,  and 
he  had  a  slightly  foreign  air. 

"Mr.  Gonzales  ?"  he  said,  question  ingly,  with  a 
graceful  bow,  and  lifting  his  hat,  with  a  slight  glance 
toward  Rose,  as  he  spoke. 

Rick  rose  and  gave  his  hand. 

"  Your  face  is  perfectly  familiar,"  he  said,  "but " 

"  Why,  Uncle  Rick,"  broke  in  Rose,  "  it  is  Dr. 
Ohlsen,"  and  then,  in  turn,  she  put  out  her  hand  to 
the  doctor,  with  a  smile  which  seemed  to  say,  "  You 
see,  I  have  not  forgotten,"  though  aloud  she  only 
uttered  the  usual  words  of  greeting. 

"  I  had  begun  to  think  we  should  never  see  you 
again,"  said  Rick.  "We  often  speak  of  you  still, 
though  at  the  moment  of  your  arrival  I  was  occupied 
with  thoughts  foreign  to  anything  connected  with  you, 
and  that,  perhaps,  accounts  for  my  failing  to  recog 
nize  you  immediately." 

"  I  have  been  absent  from  the  country  nearly  ever 
since  I  left  the  service,"  the  doctor  replied.  "  A  dis 
tant  relative  sent  for  me — a  childless  great-uncle — 
who  was  old  and  ill,  and  wished  to  see  me.  I  did  not 
intend  to  remain  long,  but  he  fancied  my  medical 
treatment  benefited  him,  and  he  would  not  consent 
to  part  with  me.  I  remained  with  him  until  he  died, 
which  was  less  than  a  year  ago,  and  he  left  me  what 
property  he  had — not  a  great  amount,  but  something 
which  will  be  a  help  to  me.  I  have  heard  that  Dr. 


352  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN     NOBILITY. 

Cathcart  is  dead,  and  I  thought  I  might,  perhaps,  be 
able  to  establish  a  practice  at  Milton.  What  do  you 
think  of  the  idea?" 

"  For  my  own  sake,"  said  Rick,  "  and  for  the  sake 
of  what  respectable  specimens  of  humanity  we  have 
about  here,  I  shall  be  heartily  glad  to  welcome  you  ; 
but  I  tell  you  frankly,  you  will  need  the  physical 
strength  of  a  Hercules,  the  moral  courage  of  a  saint, 
and  the  patience  of  Job,  if  you  ever  establish  yourself 
here  in  any  sort  of  comfort  or  security.  Of  course, 
you  wont  starve,  you  will  get  enough  practice  to 
keep  you  from  that ;  but  you  will  never  be  recog 
nized  as  respectable,  or  be  patronized  by  the  first 
families,  except  in  case  of  sheer  necessity,  if  you  make 
it  known  that  you  are  a  friend  of  mine." 

And  Rick  proceeded  to  tell  the  doctor  his  efforts, 
his  failures,  his  successes,  and  Dr.  Ohlsen  became 
so  much  interested  that  he  declared  he  would  settle 
down  in  Milton  at  once  and  give  him  whatever  help 
was  in  his  power. 

He  spent  the  evening  there,  discussing  the  work 
Rick  was  carrying  on,  and  seeming  greatly  interested. 
Dolores  played  for  them,  and  Rose  played  and 
sang,  and  the  doctor  felt  so  much  at  home  he  would 
fain  have  petitioned  to  become  one  of  the  household  ; 
but  he  knew  he  was  not  needed  there — he  must  carve 
out  a  record  for  himself. 

A  week  later  he  had  rented  the  cottage  formerly 
owned  by  Dr.  Cathcart  and  put  out  a  neat  sign.  He 
told  no  one  his  business,  or  whence  he  came  ;  but  it 
chanced  that  the  man  who  had  escaped  unhurt  out  of 
the  five  who  attacked  Rick  at  Idlefield  during  the  war 
still  resided  in  the  vicinity,  and  he  recognized  him 
and  branded  him  as  a  Yankee  adventurer.  This 
young  man  belonged  to  what  was  called  one  of  the 
best  families  in  the  vicinity,  his  father  having  been 
Colonel  Parke,  a  rebel  officer.  Anson  Parke  was  him 
self  about  Dr.  Ohlsen's  age,  and  he  had  been  very 
bitter  against  Rick  and  his  school,  causing  him  all  the 
annoyance  possible,  though  he  feared  him  too  much 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  353 

to  ever  head  a  second  expedition  to  Idlefield  to  call 
him  to  account. 

Singularly  enough  Dolores  was  held  in  high  regard 
by  the  surrounding  planters,  owing,  in  a  measure,  to 
the  reports  concerning  her  prowess  spread  by  Parke, 
and  partly  because,  at  the  funeral  services  of  the 
colonel  himself,  which  were  conducted  in  the  church 
at  Milton — the  church  upon  which  the  colonel  had 
bestowed  a  fine  organ  shortly  before  his  death — it 
chanced  that  the  only  available  organist  was  too  ill  to 
play,  and  no  one  could  be  found  to  take  his  place, 
until,  at  Rick's  suggestion,  Dolores  offered,  and 
played  in  such  a  manner  as  to  bring  tears  to  the  eyes 
of  the  whole  congregation.  After  this  she  was  held 
in  a  sort  of  awe,  and  this  was,  in  a  certain  degree, 
one  reason  why  Rick  had  not  been  molested  before, 
further  than  by  occasional  threats  and  petty  slights 
paid  to  the  negroes  under  his  charge. 

Shortly  before  the  advent  of  Dr.  Ohlsen,  Anson 
Parke  had  been  able  to  render  a  service  to  Rose.  She 
had  driven  to  Milton  upon  an  errand  with  a  rather 
restive  horse,  who  became  utterly  unmanageable,  when 
a  sudden  storm  arose  and  a  peal  of  thunder  frightened 
him.  Several  men,  lounging  inside  the  liquor  saloon 
in  Milton,  rushed  into  the  street  and  made  divers 
ineffectual  dashes  at  the  frantic  horse,  which  only 
maddened  him  the  more.  But  Mr.  Parke,  coming  in 
an  opposite  direction,  sprang  from  his  own  carriage 
and  caught  him  by  the  head,  and  succeeded,  at  the 
risk  of  being  trampled  under  the  frightened  animal's 
feet,  in  bringing  him  under  his  control. 

Of  course,  Rose  was  very  grateful  and  expressed  her 
thanks  in  a  graceful  and  somewhat  impetuous  manner, 
whereupon  the  gentleman  begged  permission  to  take 
the  reins  and  drive  the  horse  home.  Rose,  still  ex 
cited  with  the  thought  of  her  recent  peril,  accepted 
the  offer  thankfully,  and  during  the  ride  succeeded  in 
capturing  her  escort  as  effectually  as  he  had  captured 
the  restive  horse,  though  the  fact  was  unknown  to  her. 

She  was  well  known  to  him,  though  she  had  no  idea 


354  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

who  he  was  until  he  gave  her  his  name  when  he 
deposited  her  at  the  gate  at  Idlefield,  and  ventured 
the  parting  remark,  as  he  tied  the  horse  to  the  post, 
that  she  herself  had  behaved  in  a  very  courageous 
manner,  but  he  should  have  expected  this  as  she  ap 
peared  the  true  child  of  her  mother. 

Perhaps,  only  for  a  sort  of  ideal  love  which  she  had 
treasured  in  her  heart  for  Dr.  Ohlsen  since  a  child, 
Rose  might  have  been  more  impressed  with  the  hero 
of  this  adventure.  As  it  was,  though  she  gave  him 
due  praise  for  his  valor,  his  act  failed  to  touch  her 
heart  so  far  as  love  was  concerned.  She  had  met  him 
but  once  since  that  day,  and  then,  by  accident  it 
seemed,  he  entered  the  little  store  in  Milton  where 
she  was  making  some  purchases,  and,  receiving  from 
her  a  rather  shy  recognition,  he  advanced,  expressed  a 
hope  that  the  fright  had  not  made  her  ill,  and  re 
mained  conversing  with  her  until  she  was  ready  to  go, 
when  he  placed  her  in  her  carriage,  with  the  remark 
that,  since  she  had  a  more  tractable  horse,  he  pre 
sumed  she  would  not  need  a  gentleman  to  drive  him. 

At  this  she  thanked  him,  expressed  her  belief  in  her 
capability  so  far  as  managing  the  horse  was  concerned, 
and  bade  him  adieu,  with  a  smile  which  set  his  pulse? 
bounding  in  a  most  unaccountable  way,  and  caused 
him,  with  greater  rashness  than  they  display  who  build 
upon  the  sand,  to  build  castles  innumerable  upon  the 
slight  foundation  of  a  beautiful  woman's  smile. 

He  never  dreamed  of  their  crumbling,  until  one  day- 
he  met  Rose  in  the  street  accompanied  by  Dr.  Ohlsen. 
They  were  conversing  pleasantly,  and  did  not  observe 
him  until  he  was  directly  opposite.  Rose  made 
haste  to  recognize  him,  and  she  smiled,  too,  yet 
he  saw  plainly  the  smile  he  had  thought  far  brighter 
than  the  sunlight  was  dim  compared  to  that  she 
bestowed  upon  her  companion.  He  went  home,  in 
wardly  vowing  vengeance  upon  the  "Yankee  quack," 
as  he  was  pleased  to  call  him,  Rick,  Dolores,  and  even 
Rose  herself.  He  had  no  plan  of  revenge  as  yet  in 
his  mind,  but,  stopping  at  the  saloon  for  a  drink,  be- 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  355 

fore  he  drove  away  he  dropped  one  or  two  remarks 
disrespectful  of  the  new  doctor,  and  said  he  was  all 
one  could  expect  from  a  friend  of  Rick  Gonzales. 

His  words  had  the  effect  that  a  match  would  have 
if  applied  to  tinder.  Not  that  he  meant  to  pro 
duce  any  special  harm,  at  least  immediately,  for  he 
did  not  altogether  despair  of  winning  Rose  as  yet. 
Me  only  wished  that  something  might  be  done  so  far 
as  the  doctor  was  concerned.  If  he  could  be  made 
to  fly  the  place  all  might  yet  be  well.  He  went  home, 
and  the  rabble  at  the  saloon  began  to  vow  vengeance 
on  Rick,  and  to  condemn  his  actions,  interspersed  with 
threats  of  violence  to  Dr.  Ohlsen. 

Milton  had  grown  since  the  war  into  a  fair-sized 
town,  but  its  population  was  considerably  mixed,  the 
lower  class  consisting  of  uncouth,  coarse,  reckless 
men,  that  sprang  up  at  the  close  of  the  war — a  type 
quite  different  from  the  gentlemanly  desperadoes  who 
existed  before  it,  though,  possibly,  the  difference  con 
sisted  mainly  in  the  fact  that  the  desperadoes  of  the 
present  were  nearly  destitute  of  money,  and,  in  conse 
quence,  considered  as  a  lower  class. 

There  had  been  no  dearth  of  outrages  in  the  town 
and  its  vicinity  upon  helpless  negroes,  and  equally 
helpless  whites,  who,  in  search  of  a  living,  had  sought 
this  place  from  the  North.  In  consideration  of  these 
Rick  sometimes  marveled  at  his  being  left  the  little 
freedom  he  had  enjoyed.  However,  he  had  become 
a  power  ;:i  one  way  :  he  was  considered  by  the  Gov 
ernment  as  the  most  responsible  man  in  that  region 
of  country.  Vexed  that  his  negroes  were  passed  by 
when  the  people  of  the  town  were  in  quest  of  serv 
ants,  he  determined  to  make  an  effort  to  place  them 
in  whatever  position  he  could  that  they  were  fitted  for. 

He  had  in  his  school,  and  just  about  to  leave  it,  a 
fine-looking  young  man,  a  mulatto,  about  twenty-five 
years  of  age,  named  Nathan  Ayre,  who  showed  a  re 
markable  aptitude  for  business.  He  knew,  if  he  recom 
mended  the  appointment,  he  could  procure  for  him 
the  situation  of  postmaster  in  the  town.  Nathan  was 


356  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

a  fine  young  fellow,  unassuming,  yet  fearless,  and 
Rick  was  certain  that  he  was  perfectly  trustworthy 
and  honest.  He  had  thought  for  some  months  he 
would  like  to  get  this  appointment  for  Nathan,  but 
had  almost  feared  to  do  so,  since  there  was  no  one  in 
the  immediate  town  who  would  take  the  slightest 
interest  in  him. 

When  Dr.  Ohlsen  arrived,  however,  and  offered  to 
give  Nathan  all  the  aid  and  encouragement  in  his 
power,  Rick  at  once  determined  to  carry  his  long- 
cherished  plan  into  execution.  It  was  only  a  matter 
of  time,  for  the  appointment  was  given  upon  the  ask 
ing.  It  so  chanced  that  the  news  was  brought  to 
the  people  of  the  town  upon  the  very  evening  after 
Anson  Parke  had  stirred  up  the  half-drunken  blood 
hounds  in  the  saloon,  and,  in  consequence,  the  liquor 
flowed  more  freely  than  ever,  and  the  air  rang  with 
curses  upon  the  President,  Dr.  Ohlsen,  Rick  and 
his  protcgj  until  long  past  midnight. 

In  the  morning  Dr.  Ohlsen  received  a  letter  threat 
ening  him  with  personal  violence  if  he  failed  to  leave 
the  town  within  five  days.  As  his  practice,  so  far, 
was  made  up  of  poor  patients  who  would  probably 
pay  him  nothing  in  the  end,  it  would  have  been  no 
loss  for  him  to  have  left  the  place,  but  he  had  no  in 
clination  to  do  so.  Accordingly,  after  attending  to 
the  few  patients  he  had,  he  rode  over  to  Idlefield  and 
took  Rick  into  his  confidence.  Neither  being  aware 
that  Mr.  Parke  and  his  jealousy  had  anything  to  do 
with  the  matter,  attributed  it  solely  to  Nathan's  ap 
pointment,  and  felt  that  it  was  only  the  beginning  of 
demonstrations,  and  that  similar  ones  would  be  directed 
to  him.  

CHAPTER  L. 

A   MOB'S    WORK. 

For  the  next  two  days  an  ominous  hush  reigned 
in  the  streets  of  Milton,  though  the  mutterings  and 
cursings  were  both  loud  and  deep  within  the  saloon 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  357 

and  other  like  places  of  resort.  Rick,  driving  through 
the  town  and  visiting  several  of  the  worst  localities, 
became  convinced  that  if  once  the  mob  broke  out  into 
deeds  of  murderous  violence  the  result  would  be 
fearful,  and,  among  other  things,  a  death  blow  would 
be  dealt  to  his  own  enterprise.  As  he  thought  of  all 
this  he  felt  inclined  to  advise  Dr.  Ohlsen  to  leave,  for 
he  feared  greatly  that  his  life  would  fall  the  first  sac 
rifice  to  brutal  violence  ;  but  he  remembered  that 
to  show  a  faint  heart  at  the  beginning  would  be  to 
resign  all. 

The  only  thing  to  be  done  was  to  stand  his  ground, 
and  he  must  assist  the  doctor  to  defeat  the  attack  at 
all  hazards.  He  thought  of  how,  but  for  the  bravery 
shown  by  Dolores  and  Tot  when  Idlefield  was  at 
tacked,  he  would  be  sleeping  in  his  grave,  and  that 
even  their  courage  might  have  been  of  little  avail  had 
not  the  arrival  of  the  Union  troops  ended  the  conflict. 
The  mob  was  different  from  the  men  who  came  for  his 
life  that  day.  They  might  be  frightened  away  more 
easily,  perhaps,  in  the  beginning,  but  if  able  to  stand 
against  the  force  brought  to  bear,  they  would  be  ter 
ribly  brutal  and  implacable,  stopping  at  nothing.  The 
only  question  in  his  mind  was  whether  to  appeal  to 
the  Government  for  help  or  not. 

If  he  did  there  would  be  the  everlasting  howl  about 
military  rule  in  the  South,  and  columns  upon  columns 
written  for  the  Southern  papers,  and  their  sympa 
thizers  in  the  North,  concerning  the  outrages  which 
these  troops  perpetrated  upon  Southern  law-abiding 
citizens.  Such  articles  would  be  written  in  any  case, 
but  the  slightest  move  made  by  the  Government  to 
render  it  possible  for  Northern  people  to  live  in  any 
sort  of  security  at  the  South  was  magnified  and  twisted 
into  all  manner  of  false  statements,  and  he  wished  to 
avoid  anything  of  the  kind,  if  possible. 

The  first  move  he  made — and  Dolores  suggested 
this — was  to  place  Tot  in  the  doctor's  kitchen.  The 
negro  woman  he  at  first  employed  as  housekeeper 
left,  because  her  life  had  been  threatened  in  case  she 


35&  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

remained,  so  Tot  was  informed  of  the  circumstance, 
and  expressed  her  willingness  to  go.  In  truth,  Dolores 
took  her  completely  into  her  confidence,  explaining 
that  the  position  would  be  a  dangerous  one,  and  she 
was  not  to  take  it  except  entirely  willing. 

Rick  next  selected  a  dozen  trusty  men  and  secreted 
them  in  the  doctor's  house.  He  would  not  allow 
Nathan  to  become  one  of  the  number,  as  he  did  not 
wish  to  render  him  odious  to  the  people,  even  to  the 
mob.  He  did  not  dare  leave  Idlefield  unneces 
sarily,  lest  the  threats  made  toward  the  doctor 
might  be  aimed  at  his  own  place  instead,  and  the 
intention  was  to  take  it  when  off  its  guard.  So  he 
organized  a  similar  force  at  home,  and  upon  the 
night  of  the  third  day,  being  assured  by  Dolores 
that  she  feared  nothing  and  would  keep  watch,  having 
the  men  in  readiness,  and  a  messenger  and  fleet  horse 
to  send  him  word  in  case  Idlefield  was  attacked,  he 
went  to  pass  the  night  with  the  doctor. 

It  was  nearly  midnight  when  they  heard,  in  the  dis 
tance,  the  sound  of  voices  and  the  tramping  of  feet — 
not  a  regular  tread,  but  a  medley  of  footfalls  and 
the  roar  of  discordant  voices.  It  came  gradually 
nearer,  until  they  could  distinguish  oaths  and  abusive 
epithets  directed  toward  some  one.  As  they  ap 
proached  the  house  they  were  coupled  with  the  name 
of  "Yankee  quack."  At  length,  hooting  and  shout 
ing,  the  crowd  paused  before  the  doctor's  door,  and 
invited  him,  in  the  most  derisive  manner,  to  come  out 
and  face  them  like  a  man. 

"  Shall  I  go  ?"  the  doctor  asked  Rick,  in  his  usual 
voice. 

"  Not  a  step,  if  you  value  your  life,"  Rick  replied. 
"You  might  as  well  reason  with  enraged  tigers.  We 
must  meet  them  in  a  far  different  manner.  Now 
boys,"  in  a  low  tone,  "  when  I  give  the  signal  all  fire 
at  once,  but  remember  to  fire  the  first  shot  high, 
almost  in  the  air.  If  this  does  not  disperse  them,  fire 
the  next  volley  into  their  ranks,  and  see  what  effect 
that  will  have." 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  359 

The  signal  was  given,  and  fourteen  shots  were 
simultaneously  fired,  causing  a  loud  report,  which 
evidently  astonished  the  rioters,  for,  after  a  slight 
pause,  they  took  to  their  heels  and  ran  with  what 
speed  they  could,  stumbling  over  each  other  in  the 
dark,  and  not  knowing  whether  any  of  their  number 
were  killed  or  not.  They  repaired  to  the  saloon  and 
regaled  themselves  with  a  few  drinks  apiece,  until 
gradually  one  after  another  of  their  number  joined 
them,  and  they  came  at  last  to  the  conclusion  that 
there  was  nobody  hurt  after  all.  They,  however, 
concluded  it  was  best  to  postpone  the  attack  for  that 
night,  to  organize  more  thoroughly,  and  stand  in 
readiness  for  the  time  when  Nathan  Ayre  should  take 
possession  of  the  post-office. 

"  This  'ere  thing  must  be  put  down,"  said  one. 
"  'Twon't  do  to  let  it  go  no  furder.  Why,  demme,  ef 
it's  kep'  up  the  niggers  '11  be  ownin'  the  plantations 
direc'ly,  an'  we'll  be  a-workin'  fer  'em !  The  North 
gained  the  day  at  the  time  o'  the  war  by  brute  force — 
jest  by  brute  force  ;  but,  demme,  ef  they  go  much 
furder  they'll  rouse  the  lion,  as  it  were,  thet  slumbers 
in  our  bosoms " 

"  Hear,  hear !"  cried  the  others. 

"They'll  find  out,  demme,  thet  Southern  gentlemen 
hes  got  rights,  gentlemen,  as  they  won't  give  up  while 
they  live  !"  he  resumed,  though  he  did  not  state  what 
those  rights  were. 

They  were  not  obliged  to  wait  long  for  Nathan 
Ayre  to  take  his  place  as  postmaster.  He  entered 
upon  his  duties,  attending  to  his  business  faithfully,  be 
cause  he  felt  that  much  depended  upon  doing  every 
thing  in  the  right  manner  and  at  the  right  moment. 
He  had  one  assistant,  also  a  mulatto,  and  both  were 
as  prompt  as  possible  and  respectful  to  all,  whatever 
insults  were  offered.  At  first,  some  of  the  members 
of  the  crowd  who  met  regularly  at  the  saloon  made  it 
a  point  to  call  every  hour  of  the  day  and  ask  for  let 
ters,  when  they  well  knew  there  were  but  four  mails 
in  twenty-four  hours. 


360  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

To  their  disappointment  no  notice  was  taken  of 
this.  Each  time  the  inquiry  was  made  the  answer  was 
returned  in  a  polite  manner,  leaving  nothing  of  which 
they  could  complain  ;  so  they  abandoned  it  at  last,  as 
it  was  impossible  to  pick  a  quarrel  in  this  way. 

Soon  after,  they  began  sending  Nathan  anonymous 
letters,  spelled  in  the  most  illiterate  manner  and  con 
taining  all  manner  of  threats.  This  time,  however, 
there  was  no  clue  given  as  to  when  they  would  at 
tack  him.  Dr.  Ohlsen  immediately  insisted  that 
Nathan  and  his  assistant  should  both  sleep  in  his 
house,  and  they  were  glad  to  accept  the  offer.  They 
were  all  well  armed,  and  Rick  said,  if  they  desired  it, 
he  would  keep  a  constant  guard  of  his  own  men,  to 
remain  in  the  post-office  by  day  and  at  Dr.  Ohlsen's 
by  night. 

But  Nathan  objected  to  this.  It  would  look  as 
though  he  was  afraid,  he  said,  and  he  was  not.  The 
ease  with  which  the  crowd  was  dispersed  the  night 
the  doctor's  house  was  attacked  tended  to  throw  them 
off  their  guard. 

A  few  evenings  afterward  Dr.  Ohlsen  was  called 
upon  to  attend  a  sick  patient.  He  knew  there  was 
no  hoax  about  it,  as  he  was  acquainted  with  the  mes 
senger  ;  but,  as  Nathan  had  retired,  the  doctor  called 
Tot  and  told  her  to  inform  him  of  his  absence,  and 
to  keep  a  strict  watch  until  his  return.  There  was 
apparently  no  disturbance  without,  and,  though  habit 
ually  cautious,  the  doctor  felt  no  fear.  However,  he 
walked  down  a  back  street,  that  no  one  might  observe 
him  and  visit  the  house  during  his  absence. 

His  patient  was  really  very  ill,  and  required  his 
care  for  an  hour  or  more,  and  he  was  so  much  en 
gaged  with  the  case  he  thought  of  nothing  further 
until  he  was  about  to  leave. 

Meanwhile,  about  five  minutes  after  he  left  the 
house,  there  was  a  knock  at  the  door.  Tot  called, 
asking  who  was  there,  and  receiving  no  answer  re 
fused  to  open  the  door.  At  this,  some  one  engaged 
her  in  conversation  while  one  of  the  back  windows 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  361 

was  forced  with  as  little  noise  as  possible,  and  before 
she,  with  all  her  alertness,  was  aware  of  it,  the  house 
was  entered  by  several  masked  men,  who  seized  her 
and  locked  her  securely  in  one  of  the  rooms,  tying 
her  to  a  chair  and  placing  a  gag  in  her  mouth.  Leav 
ing  her  thus,  they  proceeded  to  Nathan's  room  and 
dragged  him,  with  Jerry,  his  assistant,  from  their 
beds.  The  unfortunate  men  were  bound,  gagged 
and,  with  ropes  about  their  necks,  dragged,  until 
nearly  insensible,  to  a  wood  about  a  mile  from  the 
town,  and  there  hung  to  a  tree  and  left,  their  brutal 
captors  waiting,  however,  until  sure  life  was  extinct 
before  they  left  the  spot.  They  determined,  when 
they  set  about  their  hellish  work,  to  conduct  it 
quietly,  allowing  no  noise  to  be  made.  They  were 
afraid,  in  spite  of  the  brutal  sort  of  courage  which  is 
sometimes  bestowed  upon  men  of  fiendish  instincts, 
lest  Rick  or  Dr.  Ohlsen  should  come  to  the  rescue 
of  their  victims,  and  they  had  a  certain  dread  of 
the  power  of  these  two  men,  who,  as  yet,  had  baffled 
them  as  far  as  their  own  personal  safety  was  con 
cerned. 

But  when  their  work,  over  which  devils  must  have 
confessed  themselves  outdone,  was  completed  it  was 
impossible  to  restrain  their  brutal  glee,  and  with  wild 
shouts,  like  the  noise  of  a  herd  of  beasts,  they  made 
their  way  back  to  the  town. 

Dr.  Ohlsen,  returning  from  his  professional  visit, 
heard  these  shouts,  and  his  very  blood  ran  cold.  He 
hastened  home,  to  find  Tot  in  the  same  position  in 
which  the  wretches  had  left  her  and  nearly  uncon 
scious.  As  soon  as  she  was  restored  and  able  to 
speak  she  told  him  all  she  knew  of  the  horrible  out 
rage.  At  this,  promising  to  leave  her  but  a  moment, 
he  rushed  out  of  the  house  and  up  the  street,  but  the 
town  was  again  quiet — not  a  sound  broke  the  stillness 
of  the  summer  night. 

A  horrible  fear  crossed  his  mind  that  they  might 
have  gone  to  Idlefield  ;  so,  making  all  possible  haste, 
he  fastened  the  horse  to  his  carriage,  and  taking  Tot, 


362  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

more  dead  than  alive,  with  him,  he  set  out  at  once  in 
the  direction  he  feared  the  mob  had  taken. 

To  his  great  relief  he  found  all  was  quiet,  and,  going 
to  the  window  of  the  chamber  which  Rick  still  occu 
pied,  he  woke  him  and  made  his  errand  known.  Do 
lores  and  Rose  came  down  and  ministered  lovingly  to 
Tot,  who  had  been  somewhat  relieved  by  the  ride  in 
the  open  air. 

"  Don't  blame  me  for  her  injuries,"  the  doctor  said. 
"  Until  it  is  perfectly  safe  I  shall  never  ask  another 
woman  to  take  charge  of  my  home  in  any  capacity 
whatever.  Mr.  Gonzales,  have  you  a  man  among 
your  servants  who  can  cook  a  tolerable  meal  ?  If  so, 
I  beg  of  you  to  let  me  have  him.  I  mean  to  keep 
right  on  and  shall  not  leave  the  place  until  I  have  won 
some  sort  of  a  position  there,  unless  they  kill  me. 
However,  this  is  a  secondary  consideration.  Where 
could  they  have  taken  Nathan  and  Jerry  ?  Do  you 
suppose '' 

Here  he  paused,  fearing  to  alarm  Rose  and  Dolores, 
but  Rick  answered  quickly  : 

"  I  fear  the  worst.  Let  us  set  out  to  look  for  them 
at  once.  They  may  have  left  them  in  the  woods, 
beaten  almost  to  death,  or — well,  doctor,  I  can  think 
of  nothing  that  would  be  too  brutal  and  too  vile  for 
those  wretches  to  do." 

"  Oh,  Uncle  Rick  !"  cried  Rose,  hastily  coming 
forward,  "  do  not  go  !  Do  not — either  of  you — 
risk  your  lives  so  !  The  poor  boys  are,  no  doubt, 
dead  and  past  your  help,  while  those  horrible  fiends, 
whom  I  cannot  call  men,  may  lie  in  wait  to  murder 
you  both  !" 

"  Rose,"  said  Rick,  almost  reproachfully,  "  I  must 
go,  my  child.  Do  you  not  see  that  Nathan  and  Jerry 
may  be  left  in  such  a  condition  that  help  in  time  may 
save  their  lives,  but  if  withheld  they  may  die  for  want 
of  it." 

"  Yes,  yes,"  she  answered.  "  Forgive  me,  Uncle 
Rick  !  But  I  do  so  fear  for  you  !" 

He    kissed    her   and    went   out   to   order   a   fresh 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  363 

horse,  or,  rather,  two  horses.  He  would  have  gone 
without  a  carriage,  as  he  was  accustomed  to  horse 
back  riding,  but  he  wished  some  way  of  conveying 
the  bodies  home,  if  found. 

"  Rose,"  said  Dr.  Ohlsen,  addressing  the  girl,  who 
was  weeping  quietly  (Dolores  had  gone  to  look  after 
Tot),  "  if  I  had  a  home  that  could  be  called  by  the 
name,  I  should  have  something  to  tell  you  and  some 
thing  to  ask  of  you  this  very  night,  but  it  is  not  the 
time  to  speak  of  it.  Only,  before  I  go,  won't  you 
bid  me  God-speed  ?" 

He  put  out  his  hand  (Rick  was  returning)  and  she 
laid  her's  within  it. 

"  Go,"  she  said  softly,  "and  God  be  with  you." 
Then  she  turned  to  speak  to  her  uncle,  but  he  had 
gone  for  a  parting  word  with  her  mother. 

He  came  out  a  moment  later.  They  only  took  one 
of  the  men  to  drive,  and  hurried  away. 

"  If  it  were  light,"  Rick  said,  "  we  might  find  a 
clue,  "but  as  it  is  we  must  guess  the  course  they 
took.  Did  you  say  you  went  to  the  post-office, 
doctor  ?" 

"Yes,  but  no  one  was  there.  The  whole  town 
seemed  suddenly  to  have  dropped  asleep,  while  less 
than  half  an  hour  before  it  rang  with  the  most  fiend 
ish  yells." 

"  Their  work  was  evidently  done,"  Rick  said,  sadly. 
"  I  don't  think  we  will  drive  through  the  town. 
Hank,"  to  the  negro  who  held  the  reins,  "  did  they 
not  shoot  poor  Mose  in  the  wood  just  beyond  Milton  ?" 
"Yes,  sir,  and  there  is  where  they  pounded  old  man 
Jones  into  a  jelly,  too,"  replied  Hank,  who,  having 
been  a  pupil  in  Rick's  school  for  nearly  two  years, 
spoke  quite  grammatically. 

"We  will  search  the  wood  first,"  said  Rick.  "It 
will  begin  to  grow  light  by  the  time  we  reach  it. 
Drive  as  fast  as  possible,  Hank.  If  we  do  not  find 
the  boys  we  will  come  back  to  town,  rouse  the  saloon 
keeper,  and,  if  possible,  frighten  him  into  telling  us 
what  he  knows  about  it." 


364  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

The  gray  morning  twilight  began  to  creep  over  the 
hills  when  they  reached  the  wood.  Alighting,  they 
began  their  search,  and  were  soon  able,  in  the  dim 
light,  to  discover  a  trail.  Here  was  a  bit  of  clothing, 
and  there — yes,  there  was  blood.  And  then  they  sud 
denly  came  upon  two  figures  stark  and  cold,  suspended 
from  the  trees.  Each  had  the  fragment  of  a  shirt 
still  clinging  to  his  body,  and  both  were  covered  with 
blood  from  head  to  foot,  which  had  flowed  from  where 
their  flesh  had  been  cut  with  the  sharp  stones  as  they 
were  dragged  along.  It  was  a  horrible,  sickening 
sight,  and  Rick  felt  his  head  reel  as  he  hastened  to 
cut  down  one  of  the  bodies.  Dr.  Ohlsen  cut  down 
the  other,  and  they  laid  them  side  by  side.  • 

"  Surely  both  are  dead,"  Rick  said,  as  soon  as  he 
could  find  voice  to  speak. 

"  They  have  been  dead  at  least  two  hours,"  the 
doctor  replied. 

"  I  feel  as  though  their  blood  was  on  my  head," 
Rick  continued,  sorrowfully.  "  And  Nathan  was  so 
bright  and  capable,  so  sensible,  too,  in  everything, 
I  felt  he  would  succeed  in  the  performance  of  his 
duty  so  well  that  a  great  point  would  be  gained  for  our 
people.  But  I  was  mistaken.  It  is  of  no  use  to  attempt 
to  establish  them  here  at  the  South.  We  must  fix  upon 
some  plan  to  send  them  North  and  West.  Sometimes 
I  am  wholly  disheartened  in  my  work  ;  everything 
is  against  me  and  them.  And  after  this,  Ohisen — 
after  this  frightful  outrage — do  you  know  it  will  be 
utterly  impossible  to  convict  any  one  of  the  foul  mur 
der  ?  I  might  spend  my  whole  fortune,  yes,  even  my 
life,  in  endeavoring  to  bring  the  murderers  to  justice, 
and  it  would  avail  nothing.  Ah,  never  in  our  life 
time  will  we  cease  to  feel  the  ill  effects  of  slavery  ! 
There  is  but  one  thing  that  can  ever  place  this  beau 
tiful  country  before -the  world  on  the  footing  it 
deserves,  and  that  is,  immigration ;  but  that  will 
never  be  large  until  our  planters  conclude  to  divide 
up  their  immense  estates  into  small  farms.  When 
this  is  done,  and  our  people  become  loyal  enough  to 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  365 

-obey  the  laws  of  the  country,  then  will  we  become 
a  prosperous  and  happy  people,  and  not  one  minute 
before.  We  want  capital  and  brains,  and  they  go 
hand  in  hand  to  the  Far  West,  while  our  climate  is 
more  inviting  and  our  soil  twice  as  productive.  But 
for  the  blight  that  slavery  has  left  and  the  villainous 
actions  of  those  who  seek  to  control  our  political  ele 
ments,  it  would  be  now  tending  this  way.  You, 
doctor,  came  here  with  the  best  intentions  in  the 
world  ;  and  while  you  are  one  in  a  hundred  that 
wants  to  come,  it  is  only  those  possessed  of  such 
brave  spirits  as  your  own  who  dare  do  so  !" 


CHAPTER   LI. 

CONFESSIONS. 

The  inhabitants  of  Milton  were  somewhat  surprised 
to  find  that  Rick  Gonzales  had  taken  the  post-office 
and  introduced  negro  assistants.  There  was  a  solemn 
hush  about  the  town  for  some  days  after  the  outrage 
recorded  in  the  previous  chapter.  One  of  the  boldest 
of  the  mob  had  visited  the  wood  where  the  diabolical 
murder  was  perpetrated  the  morning  after  it  occurred, 
and  reported  to  his  astonished  companions  in  crime 
that  the  bodies  were  gone.  A  spy  being  sent  to  watch 
Dr.  Ohlsen's  cottage,  he  discovered  that  the  doctor  was 
at  his  post,  attending  to  his  patients,  and  a  negro  man 
was  officiating  in  the  kitchen,  but  there  was  no  sign  of 
any  one  else,  living  or  dead,  about  the  place. 

"Ite  Rick  Gonzales,  d —  -  him!"  they  cried. 
"  That  man  beats  the  devil  himself !  Guess  we  got 
ahead  of  him  a  little,  though,  the  other  night.  But 
what  he's  done  with  the  bodies,  or  that  gal  we  tied  up, 
is  a  mystery." 

Dr.  Ohlsen  rode  down  to  Rick's  the  next  day,  ex 
amined  the  bodies,  and  made  out  a  written  statement 
of  the  case  ;  then  they  were  buried  in  the  plot  at  Idle- 
field  which  had  for  years  been  devoted  to  a  burial- 


366  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

ground  for  the  slaves  upon  the  plantation,  an  old 
negro  clergyman  officiating  at  the  simple  funeral. 

Tot  slowly  recovered,  but  she  seemed  dazed,  and, 
to  some  extent,  to  have  lost  her  mind.  Dolores  and 
Rose  nursed  her  very  tenderly,  humoring  her  slightest 
whim.  Still,  though  she  was  soon  able  to  walk  about 
the  house,  she  was  never  the  bright,  helpful  Tot  again. 

The  negroes  who  assisted  Rick  in  carrying  on  the 
post-office  were  brought  every  evening  to  sleep  at 
Idlefield,  and  taken  back  to  town  the  following  morn 
ing.  Dr.  Ohlsen  was  for  the  time  allowed  to  go  on 
unmolested,  except  so  far  as  posting  up  ridiculous  and 
insulting  notices  were  concerned.  One,  referring  to 
Rick,  stated  that  the  great  philanthropist  was  about 
starting  an  asylum  for  lame  kittens,  and  the  Yankee 
quack  was  about  to  have  the  honorable  post  of  head 
physician. 

About  this  time  a  new  doctor  came  to  Milton — a 
man  with  flowing  hair,  who  made  great  pretensions  of 
skill,  and  who  believed,  or  professed  to  believe,  that 
the  negroes  ought  to  be  exterminated.  The  ttite  of 
the  vicinity  patronized  him  at  once,  and  in  a  month's 
time  he  had  quite  a  large  practice.  He  was  invited 
to  visit  the  best  families,  and,  being  unmarried,  was 
quite  a  lion  among  the  ladies,  it  being  impossible  to 
have  even  a  small  croquet  party  without  Dr.  Aldridge 
was  present. 

It  was  now  midsummer,  and  there  came  reports  of 
yellow  fever  from  New  Orleans,  which  frightened  the 
people  somewhat,  though  Dr.  Aldridge  assured  them 
that  he  had  had  a  large  experience  in  treating  the 
disease,  and  was  nearly  always  successful.  No  one 
doubted  this,  and  yet — well,  how  it  came  about  no 
one  could  tell,  but  there  were  no  more  insulting 
posters  put  up  concerning  Dr.  Ohlsen,  and,  somehow, 
it  came  to  be  whispered  through  the  town  that  he  had 
shown  masterly  skill  in  treating  patients  who  had 
been  so  fortunate  as  to  consult  him. 

A  hum  of  uneasiness  was  heard  through  the  town, 
and  people  conversed  by  twos  and  threes  at  the  gate- 


SU1JDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  367 

ways,  and  in  greater  numbers  upon  the  corners  of  the 
streets.  There  was  nothing  riotous,  however,  in  their 
conversation  or  manner.  Once  or  twice,  in  pass 
ing  these  groups,  Dr.  Ohlsen  received  a  nod  of  recog 
nition,  which  he  invariably  returned  in  his  own  affable 
yet  dignified  way,  and  after  this  people  began  to  re 
mark  that  the  Yankee  doctor  had  a  very  pleasant, 
manner.  Soon  after  some  one  objected  to  using  the 
term  "Yankee,"  as  applied  to  him,  seeing  he  was  evi 
dently  a  foreigner — his  name  would  tell  that — so  with 
one  accord  they  called  him  Dr.  Ohlsen. 

The  fever  was  spreading  North  gradually.  Some 
of  the  wealthy  families  were  preparing  to  leave  the 
town.  Among  others,  Anson  Parke  concluded  to  take 
u  trip  to  New  York  and  vicinity,  with  his  mother  and 
sisters,  and  they  hastened  their  preparations  when  it 
came  to  be  reported  that  there  were  one  or  two  cases 
of  yellow  fever  about  town.  But,  alas  !  for  their  plans. 
The  morning  they  were  to  start  Mrs.  Parke  was  un 
able  to  leave  her  bed,  and  her  symptoms  were  alarm 
ing  in  the  extreme.  Dr.  Aldridge  was  sent  for  in  hot 
haste,  but  his  office  was  closed,  and  upon  making  in 
quiry  the  messenger  found  he  had  left  the  town.  He 
dared  not  call  upon  Dr.  Ohlsen,  so  he  returned  home, 
a  distance  of  two  miles,  without  medical  aid. 

Anson  Parke  was  watching  his  return  anxiously  and 
went  out  to  meet  him  when  he  came  in  sight. 

"  Dr.  Aldridge  hes  done  clean  gone,"  he  said.  "  He 
!ef  widout  sayin'  a  word  to  nobody,  and  everybody 
specs  he's  run  away  !" 

"  Did  you  go  for  Dr.  Ohlsen  ?"  asked  Anson,  hur 
riedly. 

"  No,  sah,  I  dassertt,  'cause  I'se  heered  ye  say " 

"  Go  for  him  this  instant,  you  fool  !"  he  cried. 
"Do  you  not  know  that  my  mother  is  dying?" 

Without  a  word  the  man  turned  his  horse  about 
and  made  his  way  back  to  Milton,  but  he  did  not  find 
Dr.  Ohlsen  in  his  office,  as  he  was  out  attending  some 
patients,  it  was  more  than  an  hour  before  he  could 
be  found,  but  when  he  was  he  put  on  his  hat  and  went 


368  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

immediately.  Anson  was  awaiting  him,  and  when  he 
saw  him  coming  at  last  he  went  to  the  door  to  meet 
the  doctor,  with  an  apology  for  some  slight  he  had 
previously  given  him.  One  glance,  however,  told  him 
this  was  unnecessary. 

"  Mr.  Parke,  I  believe  ?"  Dr.  Ohlsen  said,  question- 
ingly,  in  his  pleasant,  gentlemanly  way,  though  his 
face  was  serious,  yet  calm.  "  It  is  your  mother  who 
is  ill,  the  messenger  said.  May  I  see  her  at  once, 
please  ?  I  regret  the  delay,  but  it  was  unavoidable, 
as  I  have  many  patients  now,  and  I  was  absent  when 
your  man  called  for  me." 

"  I  am  thankful  you  are  here  at  last,"  Anson  said, 
chokingly.  "  My  mother  must  have  been  ill  all  night, 
though,  as  she  slept  alone,  we  did  not  know  it  until 
morning." 

The  doctor  glanced  at  the  clock — it  was  high  noon 
— and  then  he  followed  Anson  to  the  sick  room.  One 
glance  at  the  sufferer  told  him  that  she  was  past  all 
hope.  However,  he  did  what  he  could,  and  gave  ex 
plicit  directions  concerning  the  treatment  that  was  to 
be  carried  out ;  then  he  adjourned  to  the  parlor, 
Anson  following. 

"  I  have  little  encouragement  to  give  you,"  he 
said,  sadly.  "  I  fear  your  mother  must  die,  but  you 
may  wish  to  send  your  sisters  away,  or,  perhaps,  go 
yourself.  The  only  thing  is,  any  of  you  are  now  as 
likely  to  be  stricken  with  the  disease  as  was  your 
mother  a  few  days  since.  It  may  not  be  so  violent  if 
you  go  farther  North  ;  indeed,  you  may  escape  it 
altogether.  You  seem  free  from  it  at  present,  and 
your  sisters  also.  Did  I  see  them  all  ?" 

"There  is  one,"  the  stricken- man  gasped,  "the 
youngest,  who  is  deeply  affected  by  my  mother's  ill 
ness.  Perhaps  she — 

"By  all  means  let  me  see  her,"  the  doctor  said, 
quickly.  "Go  and  prepare  her  for  my  visit." 

He  left,  and  in  a  moment  sent  word  for  the  doctor 
to  come  up  at  once.  He  did  so,  and  after  examining 
his  patient  carefully  prescribed,  acting  the  part  of 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  369 

physician  and  chemist,  as  he  carried  his  drugs  with 
him.  He  spoke  cheeringly  to  the  young  girl,  said  he 
feared  she  must  postpone  her  trip  North  for  a  few 
days  on  account  of  her  mother's  illness,  and  then  left 
her  in  charge  of  her  old  nurse,  a  faithful  old  negro 
woman. 

"  She  will  have  it  too,"  the  doctor  said  to  Anson's 
questioning  glance  as  they  left  the  room.  "  But  her 
case,  since  it  is  taken  in  time,  I  have  every  reason  to 
hope  may  prove  light.  I  am  obliged  to  return  to 
town,  but  I  will  come  out  again  this  evening  and  remain 
here  a  portion  of  the  night.  Meanwhile,  see  that  my 
directions  are  carried  out  to  the  letter.  Under  the 
circumstances  I  suppose  you  will  not  think  of  leaving 
at  once." 

"  Under  any  circumstances,"  Anson  replied,  "  I 
prefer  to  remain  where  I  can  receive  the  benefit  of 
your  treatment,  for  I  have  faith  in  you." 

"  Thanks,"  Dr.  Ohlsen  said,  and  though  that  was 
all,  except  a  kindly  glance  and  bow  as  he  left,  there 
was  a  silent  promise  in  look,  act  and  tone  which  An 
son  felt  and  was  grateful  for. 

That  very  morning  Rick  received  a  letter  from 
Mr.  Beale,  which  contained  the  sad  intelligence  of 
the  death  of  his  wife.  Rick  had  been  very  grave  for 
some  days — almost  moody  at  times — ever  since  poor 
Nathan  Ayre  had  been  forced  to  give  up  his  life  in  so 
brutal  and  horrible  a  manner.  He  was  making  ar 
rangements  to  have  a  number  of  his  pupils  sent  North 
soon,  and  he  carried  on  the  post-office  and  attended 
to  his  manifold  labors  as  zealously  as  ever,  but  he 
appeared  unusually  dispirited. 

He  took  the  letter  and  went  in  to  bear  the  news  to 
Dolores.  She  had  finished  her  morning  lessons  and 
had  gone  to  look  after  Tot,  but  she  came  back  pres 
ently,  looking  sad  and  tired. 

"  Rick,"  she  said,  "  in  spite  of  all  we  can  do,  poor 
Tot's  mind  is  going.  She  is  not  frightened  as  she 
used  to  be  when  left  alone,  she  is  docile  and  appar 
ently  happy  ;  but  she  remembers  nothing  clearly,  and 


37°  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

I  fear  the  remainder  of  her  life  will  be  almost  a 
blank." 

"Poor  girl  !"  he  replied,  "it  is  very  sad.  I,  too, 
have  bad  news.  Mr.  Beale  writes  me  that  his  wife 
died  very  suddenly  on  Monday  last." 

"  Mrs.  Beale !"  and  then  she  could  say  no  more,  for 
the  tears  choked  her  voice. 

"  Dolores,"  Rick  saia,  drawing  his  chair  nearer  to 
her's,  "  you  have  been  very  sad  of  late.  I  have  ob 
served  it  to  my  own  sorrow." 

"And  you,  Rick,"  she  returned,  quickly,  "have  not 
you,  too,  been  sad  ?" 

"  I  have,  indeed,"  he  answered  ;  "  but  I  have  met 
with  many  discouragements  lately.  It  is  not  that  I 
am  too  weak  to  bear  the  troubles  that  naturally  fall  to 
the  lot  of  most  men.  It  is  that  I  have  so  little  real 
enjoyment.  We  have  both  been  having  top  much 
work  and  too  little  play  of  late,  Dolores." 

"True,  but  where  will  we  find  time  for  play  unless 
we  throw  our  work  aside  ?  Remember,  Rick,  when 
we  began  it  we  both  said,  'It  is  our  life-work.' " 

"  I  know  it,  and  I  have  no  thought  of  giving  it  up. 
But  one  thing  I  have  thought  of — it  has  filled  my 
mind  of  late,  until  it  seems  as  though  I  could  never 
let  it  go.  Dolores,  within  the  past  month  the  two 
persons  who  knew  the  secret  of  your  life  have  been 
called  away.  Mrs.  Beale  is  dead  and  Tot's  mind  is 
•departed.  No  one  on  this  earth  except  Alfred  knows 
you  are  not  a  widow,  and  whatever  happens  he  will 
now  make  no  sign.  Could  my  life  be  crowned  with 
your  love,  I  could  then  go  on  and  bear-  whatever 
came,  so  I  was  not  separated  from  you.  I  love  you 
so  tenderly — I  have  loved  you  so  long — surely,  surely, 
Dolores,  it  would  not  be  a  sin  in  God's  sight  for  us  to 
marry.  Don't  speak  now — don't !  for  I  can  see  a  re 
fusal  in  your  face — but  think  of  it.  Think  on  it  by 
night  and  day,  as  I  have  done.  And  remember,  if 
you  refuse  me  I  must  give  up  my  work  and  go  away. 
I  cannot  live  longer  as  I  have  lived  for  the  past  few 
years,  loving  you  always  and  seeing  you  near  me,  it  is 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  371 

true,  but  just  out  of  the  reach  of  my  empty  arms.     I 

can   bear  it  no  longer "     And  here  his  lips  grew 

unsteady,  and  he  sat  forcing  them  together  and  star 
ing  at  her  half  blindly  through  his  tear-dimmed  eyes. 

"  Hush  !"  she  said,  softly,  as  she  looked  into  his 
white  face,  every  nerve  of  which  seemed  quivering 
with  pain.  "  Hush,  Rick  !  We  will  not  speak  of  it 
further  now.  Only  be  calm  for  my — for  any  sake  ! 
Hark  !  Rose  is  calling.  Yes,  dear  !"  she  answered 
to  the  call. 

"  One  moment  more,"  Rick  said,  following  her  and 
reaching  out  a  detaining  hand  to  clasp  hers.  "  Give 
me  one  little  grain  of  comfort  before  you  go — at  least 
tell  me  you  are  not  angry  !" 

"No,  Rick,"  she  said,  slowly,  "I  am  not  angry, 
for  I  don't  think  you  intended  any  disrespect  when 
you  asked  me  this  hard  question." 

"Hard  ?''  he  repeated.     "  How  was  it  hard  ?" 

"  You  know  I  cannot  be  your  wife  in  God's  sight 
while  I  have  another  husband  living,  whatever  the 
world  might  think  or  say.  And  I  could  not  be  your 
wife  in  your  own  sight  or  mine.  If  weak  enough  to 
consent  to  your  proposal  the  day  would  surely  come 
when  you  would  despise  me." 

"  Never !"  he  cried,  "  never  !  And  I  now  see 
that,  notwithstanding  your  apparent  devotion  to  me 
for  years  past,  you  never  loved  me  in  any  degree,  or 
you  would  know  the  time  could  not  come  when  I 
would  despise  you." 

She  waited  a  moment,  irresolutely,  while  he  sank 
back  into  his  chair,  an  almost  desperate  look  settling 
slowly  over  his  face. 

"  He  is  nervous  and  dispirited,"  she  thought,  "  and 
I  have  never  seen  him  look  so  thoroughly  disheart 
ened  before.  I  must  not  let  him  sink  into  despon 
dency  just  now  ;  perhaps  by  and  by  he  can  bear  the 
whole  truth  better." 

So  she  went  back  and  stood  before  him,  laying  her 
hand  upon  his  head. 

"  Have  you  come  to  repeat  your  cruel  words  ?"  he 


372  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

asked,  looking  up  into  her  face  with  earnest,  search 
ing  eyes.  "  Dear,  I  know  you  did  not  mean  to  hurt  me, 
and  I  know,  too,  you  are  come  to  tell  me  so.  With 
your  usual  kindness  of  heart  you  cannot  bear  to  give 
me  pain  ;  but  there  is  little  comfort  in  that,  since  I 
know  you  could  not  bear  to  hurt  even  a  worm.  Am 
I  wrong  ?  (more  eagerly.)  Do  you,  indeed,  repent 
your  words  ?" 

"  No,"  she  answered,  steadily  and  courageously, 
"  I  have  nothing  to  retract,  but  I  have  something 
more  to  tell  you  if  you  care  to  hear  it,  Rick." 

"  Tell  me  !"  he  said,  reaching  forward  and  clasping 
in  his  eagerness  the  folds  of  her  dress. 

"  I  have  loved  you,  Rick,  ever  since — I  cannot  tell 
when  ! — and,  whatever  comes,  I  shall  love  you  until 
I  die." 


CHAPTER   LII. 

THE      FEVER      PLAGUE. 

Dr.  Ohlsen  sent  a  message  to  Rick  that  afternoon. 
He  could  not  go  out  to  Idlefield  himself.  The  message 
explained  the  state  of  affairs  in  Milton — the  spread  of 
the  fever — and  stated  that  the  doctor  was  about  to 
turn  his  house  into  an  hospital  for  the  sick,  as  he 
could  attend  to  them  in  no  other  way.  The  note 
concluded  by  asking  if  there  were  any  efficient  nurses 
among  his  pupils  who  would  help  him,  adding 
that  it  was  a  serious  question  to  ask,  since  all  who 
came  were  likely  to  take  the  fever  themselves.  "  But 
I  must  have  help,"  he  wrote,  "and  I  know  of  no  one 
who  will  aid  me  but  you." 

Rick  read  the  note,  first  to  himself,  and  then  to 
Dolores  and  Rose. 

"  Are  there  any  good  nurses,  do  you  think,  who  will 
go  ?" 

"I  am  sure  of  it,"  Dolores  answered,  "but  I  will  go 
and  see.  Before  I  go,  however,  I  want  to  tell  you 
that  when  I  ask  any  of  our  people  about  it  I  shall 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  373 

not  say  '  Will  you  go  ?'  but  '  Will  you  come  ?'  for, 
Rick,  I  shall  lead  them." 

"You,  Dolores?  I  can  never  consent  to  that — 
never!"  he  cried,  springing  to  his  feet.  "Do  you 
think  I  would  permit  it?" 

"  I  hope  so,"  she  answered,  "  for,  if  you  do  not,  I 
must  go  without  your  consent." 

Rose,  deeply  affected,  stole  away  to  her  room  to 
ponder  upon  a  thought  which  had  just  occurred  to 
her  own  mind.  She  knew  her  mother  was  quite  de 
cided  upon  going,  and  she  was  determined  to  hinder 
her  by  no  look  or  word. 

"  Do  you  know  if  you  go  it  will  be  with  your  life  in 
your  hands  ?"  said  Rick,  reproachfully. 

"  I  know  it,"  quietly. 

"  And  you  know  what  that  life  is  worth  to  me  ?" 

"  Do  you  know,  Rick,  what  I  said  to  myself  to-day 
when  I  listened  to  your  words  ?  I  said  I  must  leave 
Idlefield,  and  that  right  soon.  I  can  never  be  more 
to  you  than  I  have  been,  and  if  you  cannot  endure 
that  we  should  live  on  as  before  I  must  go  away. 
Listen.  I  am  not  excited.  I  have  thought  it  over  as 
calmly  as  possible.  I  have  kept  my  promise  to  Rose. 
I  have  remained  with  you  and  taken  charge  of  Halbert 
until  he  needs  me  no  longer.  As  to  our  work  I  can 
still  aid  you.  If  in  nothing  else  I  can  take  charge  of 
our  people  when  they  go  North.  This  I  have  thought 
since  you  spoke  to  me  to-day.  But  now,  Rick,  a 
golden  opportunity  has  come  to  me.  I  can  help — 
with  the  noble  women  among  our  pupils  who  will  aid 
me — our  enemies  and  theirs.  I  can  show  them  that 
we  are  not  narrow-minded  or  fanatical,  but  that  our 
sympathies  are  with  the  suffering  and  oppressed, 
wherever  they  may  be.  Do  you  not  see  they  cannot, 
then,  resist  us  longer  ?  Will  their  hearts  not  open 
toward  us  and  our  work  ?  Think  of  the  great  good 
it  may  accomplish  in  imbuing  them  with  a  spirit  of 
kindness  toward  our  school  and  our  people  !  Is  my 
life  of  any  consequence  compared  to  this  ?  And  per 
haps — who  knows  ? — the  dear  God  will  spare  my  life. 


374  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

But  if  he  does  not — it  is  a  blighted  life  after  all,  Rick, 
and  of  little  worth.  For,  oh  !  though  you  say  it  will 
be  hard  to  live  coldly  on  with  me  henceforth,  you  do 
not  dream,  you  cannot  know,  how  hard  it  will  be  for 
me,  too  !" 

"  Dear,"  he  answered,  gently,  "  is  it,  after  all,  neces 
sary?  Think  upon  it  first,  I  beseech  you  !  Must  you 
go  away  from  me  at  all  ?  And  if  you  feel  that  this 
must  be,  is  it  necessary  for  you  to  throw  away  your 
precious  life  that  you  may  save  many  low  and  hard 
ened  lives  ?" 

"  Rick,  in  your  heart  of  hearts,  you  see  the  truth  as 
I  see  it.  I  know  you  too  well  to  doubt  it  for  a  mo 
ment.  Come  !  be  your  nobler  self,  and  tell  me  I  may 
go  with  your  full  consent.  Surely  you  will  not  refuse 
me  this  ?" 

In  her  earnestness  she  came  and  laid  one  hand  per 
suasively  upon  his  arm. 

"  You  do  consent,"  she  said. 

"I  do,"  he  answered,  "for,  my  darling,  I  know  you 
are  right.  But  I  am  going  with  you." 

"  You  ?" 

"I." 

"  But  how  will  Idlefield  fare  ?" 

"  Miss  Nancy  and  Mr.  White  can  take  charge  of  it 
for  a  time,  though  both  are  rather  feeble  and  old. 
Our  school  must  give  way  to  a  greater  necessity  for 
the  present.  We  will  go  together,  Dolores,  and  if  we 
die  it  will  be  hand  in  hand." 

"  It  would  be  easy  to  die  thus,"  she  said,  smiling, 
"and  you  have  made  my  duty  easier  by  saying  this. 
For,  oh  !  it  would  be  hard  to  go  away  and  die  alone  !" 

He  put  out  his  arms  to  clasp  her  within  them,  but 
she  eluded  his  grasp,  and  went  out  among  the  cabins 
to  see  who  would  join  her  in  the  work — so  quickly  he 
could  only  follow  at  a  distance  ;  so  he  turned  back 
and  began  to  pace  the  veranda  while  he  awaited  her 
return.  But  he  did  not  wait  long,  for  in  a  few  mo- 
nents  she  came  hastening  back,  her  face  aglow,  and 
ike  an  April  day  with  tears  and  smiles. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  375 

"  They  will  all  go,  Rick,"  she  said  ;  "  there  was  not 
one  dissenting  voice.  And  I  explained  to  them  fully 
what  the  consequences  might  be,  for  I  do  not  think 
it  right  to  urge  one  to  go  against  her  will,  or  without 
understanding  the  great  risk  she  must  run." 

"I  was  sure  they  would  not  fail  us,"  Rick  answered, 
overjoyed  at  the  result. 

"And  now,"  said  Dolores,  "lose  no  time  in  going 
to  the  doctor  and  telling  him  what  we  can  do.  He 
must  go  out  to  visit  Mrs.  Parke  at  six,  the  note  says. 
Go,  and  in  the  meantime  I  will  gather  together  what 
things  we  will  need,  for  the  doctor  must  have  beds, 
bedding,  and  all  sorts  of  jellies  and  little  aids  to  the 
appetite  for  his  patients." 

"  For  our  patients,"  corrected  Rick. 

"Yes,  ours.  And  in  the  morning  we  will  go  out, 
taking  whatever  help  is  necessary,  and  fit  out  the 
hospital  at  once." 

"And  Rose?" 

"  Ah,  Rick,  I  cannot  bear  to  take  her.  Surely  she 
will  not  be  needed  ?" 

"  No,  surely  not.  She  can  remain  at  home  and 
assist  Miss  Nancy  in  caring  for  Tot  and  looking  after 
things  generally." 

So  he  set  out.  The  doctor  received  his  proffered 
aid  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  and  protested  that  Dolores 
should  not  run  so  great  a  risk  ;  but,  when  informed 
that  she  insisted  upon  it,  he  confessed  that  her  help 
would  be  everything  to  him. 

That  evening  he  went  out  and  found  his  first 
opinions  in  regard  to  Mrs.  Parke  and  her  daughter 
were  in  a  fair  way  to  be  realized.  The  mother  was 
sinking  fast,  while  the  daughter  was  no  worse,  and 
that,  in  the  beginning  of  the  fever,  was  saying  much 
in  her  favor.  He  remained  the  greater  part  of  the 
night,  and  then  returned  to  Milton,  to  catch  a  few 
moments'  sleep  before  setting  out  upon  his  round  of 
calls. 

The  next  day  the  people  who  could  do  so  began  to 
leave  the  town,  but  many  of  the  best  families  were 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

already  stricken.  The  doctor  posted  notices  through 
out  the  place  inviting  all  who  had  sick  friends,  who 
were  able  to  be  moved,  to  bring  them  to  his  house, 
where  they  would  receive  the  best  of  care.  To  their 
shame  be  it  said,  many  families  sent  their  sick  to  him 
at  once,  while  they  hurried  out  of  the  plague-stricken 
place  in  search  of  safety  for  themselves,  too  eager  to 
save  their  own  lives  to  care  whether  their  own  friends 
recovered  or  not.  Fathers — yes,  even  mothers — left 
children  to  the  doctor's  care  and  hastened  away;  hus 
bands  deserted  wives,  and  children  aged  parents. 

But  amid  all,  since  the  ruling  passion  is  often  strong 
in  death,  the  saloon  flourished  and  did  an  unusually 
thriving  business. 

When  Rick  and  Dolores,  with  their  volunteer  nurses, 
bedding  and  other  stores  were  ready  to  leave  Idlefield, 
when  they  had  given  strict  charges  to  those  who  re 
mained  and  turned  to  bid  Rose  adieu,  that  young 
lady  appeared  in  hat  and  shawl  ready  to  accompany 
them. 

"  Don't  say  no,  mamma,"  she  pleaded.  "  I  could  not 
remain,  for  all  those  I  love  will  be  in  danger  and  I  must 
share  it  with  them." 

Dolores  turned  to  Rick  questioningly,  though  she 
spoke  no  word. 

"  Let  her  go,"  he  said,  "  for  then  we  shall  not  have 
kept  anything  back.  Only,"  and  he  paused  a  mo 
ment,  "  I  did  write  Halbert  not  to  come  on  for  the  re 
mainder  of  his  vacation.  I  wonder " 

"You  were  right,  Rick,"  Dolores  interposed.  "We 
are  keeping  him  from  harm  because  he  has  no  mother 
to  answer  for  him.  For  me,  my  child  is  my  own. 
Don't  fear  you  have  kept  anything  back.  Halbert 
would  be  of  no  use  whatever  as  a  nurse  ;  he  would  only 
be  in  the  way.  It  is  different  with  Rose,  for  nursing 
comes  natural  to  her,  as  it  does  with  many  women." 

"  You  are  sure  to  make  me  think  inclination  my 
duty,"  he  replied,  as  he  helped  them  into  the  carriage. 

"  Not  when  it  is  wrong,  surely?" 

"Oh,  no!"    and   he  laughed.     "In  minor   things 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  377 

only.  Great  sacrifices  are,  no  doubt,  good  for  me  in 
your  estimation." 

Rose  looked  up,  wondering  what  her  Uncle  Rick 
could  mean,  but  no  explanation  was  given,  and  the 
carriage  rolled  swiftly  away.  Each  one  of  its 
occupants  glanced  back  at  the  house  as  it  was  left 
behind,  as  though  they  might  never  behold  it  again, 
and  then  they  set  their  faces  forward  where  their 
duty  lay. 

They  found  plenty  of  work  to  do,  and  whatever 
each  hand  found  it  did  with  its  might. 

Dr.  Ohlsen  greeted  them  almost  silently  as  he  took 
one  after  another  by  the  hand. 

"Welcome  !"  he  said  at  last,  "and  may  God  keep 
us  all  from  harm  !  The  fever  is  already  raging  fiercely 
and  many  members  of  the  very  best  families  are 
stricken.  Already  I  have  more  patients  than  my 
present  space  will  accommodate,  and  they  are  hourly 
arriving." 

"  Let  us  hasten  to  make  these  comfortable,"  Dolores 
said,  "  and  then  we  will  prepare  for  others." 

While  she  and  Rick  were  giving  directions  concern 
ing  the  unloading  of  the  stores  they  had  brought  the 
doctor  turned  to  Rose. 

"  I  fully  expected  you,"  he  said,  "  yet  I  cannot  tell 
whether  I  am  glad  or  grieved  to  see  you  here.  To 
know  you  are  in  danger  is  almost  torture  to  me,  while 
the  knowledge  of  the  fact  that  you  are  noble  enough 
to  risk  your  life  for  others — your  young  life  which  is 
so  happy — makes  me  wild  with  joy.  Still,  I  think 
perhaps  I  ought  to  send  you  back " 

"  Let  me  stay  with  you  !"  she  said,  simply. 

"  And,  if  both  are  spared,  will  you  stay  with  me 
always,  then  ?"  quickly. 

"Always,"  she  said,  after  a  moment's  hesitation, 
"  that  is  if  you  wish  it  very  much." 

"  I  wish  it  more  than  everything  else,"  he  replied, 
earnestly. 

He  put  out  his  hand  and  she  laid  her's  within  it ; 
their  eyes  met,  that  was  all.  A  strange  betrothal, 


37$  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

made  at  a  sad  season,  so  both  thought,  and  wondered 
whether  it  would  bring  them  joy  or  sorrow  at  last. 

Rick  and  Dolores,  entering  the  room  at  the  mo 
ment,  saw  the  pair  standing  with  clasped  hands.  As 
they  approached  the  doctor  turned  to  Dolores,  offer 
ing  his  hand  to  her.  No  word  was  spoken,  but  there 
was  a  request — yes,  almost  entreaty — in  his  look,  and 
her  eyes,  returning  the  glance  with  serious  sweetness, 
spoke  a  benign  assent. 

Rick  had  two  houses  situated  a  little  out  of  town. 
He  sent  one  of  the  men  out  and  found  they  had  been 
deserted  by  their  tenants.  They  were  not  very  far 
from  the  doctor's  cottage,  which  was  on  the  very  edge 
of  the  place,  so  it  was  decided  to  convert  one 
of  these  .into  an  hospital,  and  in  the  other  Rick  estab 
lished  himself.  Here  he  was  to  send  for  and  keep 
needed  stores  ;  and  here  Rose,  Dolores,  the  doctor  and 
nurses  were  to  repair  for  needed  repose  when  they 
could  snatch  the  time.  Rick  was  not  to  attempt  to 
nurse,  but  his  post  was  scarcely  less  arduous. 

Money  was  needed  first  of  all,  and  this  he  used 
without  stint.  Medicines  and  everything  required  in 
the  way  of  food  or  drink,  or,  in  fact,  to  make  the  pa 
tients  comfortable  in  every  way,  he  procured.  He 
telegraphed  to  Mr.  Beale  to  send  him  these  needed 
articles  from  New  York,  and  draw  upon  him  for  their 
payment,  for  many  things  could  not  readily  be  had 
even  in  cities  nearer  home,  and  they  could  not  be 
procured  in  Milton  or  any  of  the  surrounding  towns 
at  any  price.  He  kept  two  or  three  trusty  men  with 
him,  who  acted  as  constant  messengers,  to  save  the 
doctor  and  himself  all  unnecessary  steps.  He  saw 
that  certain  sanitary  rules  which  the  doctor  laid  down 
were  carried  out  in  the  town.  He  assisted  in  bring 
ing  those  stricken  with  the  fever  to  the  improvised 
hospitals  and  made  arrangements  for  the  burial  of  the 
dead.  In  short,  for  the  time  being,  he  managed  Milton 
and  its  vicinity  as  he  had  managed  his  school,  and  no 
one  said  him  nay,  whatever  his  commands  were. 

For,  hard-hearted  and  depraved   though  many  of 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  379 

them  were,  being  born  and  educated  in  a  belief 
totally  opposed  to  the  tenets  he  held  and  practiced, 
though  they  had  hated  him  bitterly  and  sought  his 
downfall  and  his  life,  they  could  not  help  seeing  he 
was  risking  his  life  and  spending  his  possessions 
lavishly  to  protect  them  and  theirs,  and  life  was  dear 
to  them  all.  They  had  never  doubted  his  sincerity, 
but  they  had  full  faith  in  him  now. 

At  first  they  looked  upon  his  acts  with  amazement, 
failing  to  comprehend,  in  the  narrowness  of  their  own 
hearts,  how  great  and  generous  his  could  be  ;  but  this 
was  not  so  long.  Before  three  days  had  passed, 
whenever  he  went  out  into  the  street  a  cheer  went  up 
for  him  from  every  crowd  he  met,  and  blessings  fol 
lowed  him  everywhere — sent  up  from  lips  more  used 
to  uttering  curses — heartfelt  blessings,  too,  wrung 
from  those  to  whom  he  hud  given  hope  for  despair. 

Two  weeks  went  by  and  still  the  fever  raged.  Sev 
eral  patients  were  removed  from  danger,  but  many 
had  already  died,  Mrs.  Parke  among  the  number. 
Anson's  sister  was  recovering,  and,  as  soon  as  she 
was  able  to  go,  her  brother  proposed  to  send  her  with 
his  other  sisters  away.  He,  hearing  what  Rick  was 
doing,  came  and  offered  his  assistance,  and  it  was 
gladly  accepted. 

The  nurses  were,  many  of  them,  exhausted,  and 
Rick  sent  to  Idlefield  for  more,  taking  those  who 
were  worn  out  into  his  own  lodging  for  a  rest  of  two 
or  three  days.  He  forced  Rose  and  Dolores  to  take 
rest  also  ;  they  bore  up  well,  though  both  were  pale 
and  thin.  The  doctor  had  received  some  assistance 
from  the  neighboring  physicians,  but  they  were 
wanted  at  home,  as  much  as  a  preventive  as  anything 
else,  which  left  him  almost  constantly  on  the  watch. 
He  often  said,  however,  that  his  efficient  nurses  took 
all  arduous  labor  away  from  him,  for,  very  soon,  the 
most  observing  could  tell  the  symptoms  almost  as  well 
as  he  could  himself,  and  knew  what  remedies  to  apply. 
It  was  very  necessary  they  should  do  this,  as  he  was 
often  absent  from  one  hospital  visiting  the  other,  and 


380  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

many  of  the  changes  were  sudden  and  demanded 
instantaneous  relief. 

It  was  difficult  to  say  whether  the  people  of  the 
town  regarded  Rick  or  Dr.  Ohlsen  with  the  greatest 
amount  of  adoration.  Rose  they  considered  an  angel, 
and  Dolores,  as  she  passed  from  hospital  to  the  house 
to  take  a  little  rest,  was  besieged  by  mothers  and 
daughters,  who  offered  her  grateful  thanks. 

One  evening  Dr.  Ohlsen  went  out  to  receive  one  of 
the  patients  which  had  come  to  the  door,  and  saw  it 
was  Anson  Parke. 

"I  am  struck  at  last,"  he  said,  "but  I  know,  doctor, 
you  will  do  all  for  me  that  mortal  man  can." 

"  I  promise  to  do  all  that  lies  in  my  power,"  the 
doctor  answered.  "Much  depends  upon  the  nurse, 
and  you  shall  choose  one,  because  your  preference 
alone  may  help  you." 

"  Doctor,"  he  said,  seeming  half  ashamed  to  make 
the  request,  "  before  you  came  I  held  Rose  Castellar  in 
high  regard,  and  it  was  because  I  saw  her  with  you  and 
felt  there  was  no  chance  for  me  that  caused  me  to 
hate  you  so.  I  don't  suppose  she  ever  knew  that  I 
loved  her,  but  I  could  not  help  it,"  apologetically.  "  I 
have  seen  her  moving  about  the  sick  since  she  came 
here,  and  I  have  almost  envied  them  her  ministra 
tions.  Be  generous  enough  to  allow  her  to  nurse  me 
a  portion  of  the  time,  any  sturdy  man  will  answer  for 
the  rest." 

"  She  shall  nurse  you  if  she  will,"  the  doctor  an 
swered.  "  I  will  see  her  at  once  myself." 

He  did  so,  and  immediately  came  back  with  word 
that  Rose  was  quite  willing  and  would  enter  upon  her 
duties  in  a  few  moments. 

"Thanks,"  the  sick  man  murmured,  weakly.  "I 
know  I  am  foolish,  but,  doctor,  if  she  is  with  me  I 
don't  think  it  will  be  very  hard  even  to  die." 

"  You  must  not  think  of  dying,"  the  doctor  an 
swered,  cheerfully,  "  for  truly — and  I  hope  you  know  I 
would  not  deceive  you — I  feel  assured  that  you  are 
going  to  have  the  fever  in  a  mild  form.'' 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  381 

Rose  came  and  hovered  about  him  almost  con 
stantly.  He  was  very  tractable  and  gave  her  little 
trouble,  seeming  happy,  even  when  in  pain,  if  when 
ever  he  opened  his  eyes  she  was  near. 

Soon  after,  the  fever  broke  out  at  Idlefield.  Rick 
had  tried  to  use  every  precaution,  had  insisted  that 
Mr.  White  should  use  disinfectants  freely  and  look 
carefully  after  the  matter  of  ventilation,  and  see  all 
had  proper  food  and  regular  sleep.  The  sufferers 
were  at  once  removed  to  one  of  the  hospitals — there 
were  now  three,  another  building  having  been  pressed 
into  service.  First  two  of  the  negroes  were  taken 
with  the  fever,  and  the  third  was  poor  Miss  Nancy. 

"  I  knowed  it !"  she  said,  faintly,  as  Dolores  went 
out  to  receive  her  when  she  was  brought  in,  "  an'  so 
long  as  the  others  is  spared  I  don't  keer  a  mite.  I'm 
old  an'  childish,  Miss  Rita.  Ef  you  or  Miss  Rose, 
here,  was  took  instid  I'd  never  be  good  fer  nothin" 
agin'." 

Dolores  tried  to  cheer  her,  and  the  poor  old  soul 
was  very  patient,  but  it  was  soon  apparent  to  all  that 
she  could  not  survive  the  attack. 

"  I  know  Fm  goin',' '  she  said,  feebly,  a  few  days  after. 
"I  know  it,  honey,"  falling  into  the  use  of  the  general 
Southern  pet  name,  "  an'  it's  all  right.  I  'lowed  that 
mebbe  I'd  live  to  see  ye  happier  'n  what  ye  air  now, 
but  it'll  all  be  right.  Don't  be  hard  on  Rick.  'Mem 
ber  I  telled  ye  that  the  day  I  died.  They  is  sich  a 
thing  as  a  divorce,  child.  Don't  be  scairt.  I  kep'  one 
secret  that  I  found  out  unintentional  as  clus  as  I  stuck 
to  my  faith  in  the  Lord." 

And  Dolores  did  remember,  for  they  were  almost 
the  last  words  Aunt  Nancy  spoke.  She  rallied  later, 
for  the  very  last.  A  smile  broke  over  her  wrinkled 
face,  and  she  partly  rose  in  her  bed. 

"  Mother,"  she  said,  beckoning  with  one  feeble 
hand,  "  I'm  glad  ye've  come,  fer  I  want  to  make  you 
acquainted  with  Miss  Rita,  the  bes'  friend  I've  had 
sence  you  lef  me,"  and  then  she  dropped  back  upon 
her  pillow 


382  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

CHAPTER  LIU. 

CONCLUSION. 

Ten  weeks  went  by  of  watching  and  waiting,  weeks 
of  intense  anxiety,  and  then  the  fever  began  to  wane. 
Anson  Parke  had  almost  recovered,  and  it  was  impos 
sible  to  tell  now  whether  he  was  most  fond  of  the 
doctor  or  Rose. 

The  arrivals  were  fewer  and  fewer,  and  some  of  the 
hospital  beds  were  vacant.  Idlefield  had  not  suffered 
greatly  in  comparison  with  the  town  itself.  There  had 
been  eight  deaths  altogether — four  nurses,  three 
others,  and  Aunt  Nancy — while  the  death  rate  of 
Milton  ran  up  into  the  hundreds.  It  was  late  in  Oc-' 
tober  and  all  were  anxiously  looking  for  the  first 
frost  to  put  the  enemy  to  flight. 

Dolores  was  almost  worn  out  and  Rose  was  grow 
ing  nervous,  so  the  doctor  ordered  that  both  should 
take  a  rest  of  at  least  a  day  or  two.  Rick  bore  up 
best  of  all,  though  he  had  been  deprived  of  his  sleep 
quite  as  much  as  any.  Still  he  had  been  more  in  the 
open  air. 

The  very  morning  that  Dolores  and  Rose  went  to 
take  their  rest  a  patient  was  brought  in  who  had  been 
ill  for  some  hours.  He  was  a  traveler,  that  was  all 
they  knew,  and  had  been  ill  when  he  arrived  in  town. 
The  doctor  received  him  and  gave  him  every  possi 
ble  care,  though  from  the  first  he  feared  for  his  life. 
The  man  was  by  turns  insensible  and  delirious,  and 
his  ravings  were  all  of  his  wife  whom  he  had  wronged, 
or  fancied  so.  He  begged  most  piteously  to  be  for 
given,  saying  he  had  never  loved  any  one  except  his 
own  Dolores,  though  his  fiendish  nature  had  prompted 
him  to  be  very  cruel  to  her. 

The  doctor  paid  little  heed  to  what  he  said  until  he 
came  to  make  his  evening  visit.  Then,  as  he  ap 
proached  the  bed,  his  patient  rose  up,  caught  his 
hands  and  besought  him  to  promise  that  Dolores 
should  never  marry  Rick  when  he  was  gone. 

"Don't  let   her   marry  Rick!"    he   cried.      "The 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  383 

thought  of  it  would  kill  me,  for  I  love  her  dearly !" 
And  then  he  fell  forward  in  the  bed  unconscious. 

The  doctor  raised  him,  applied  restoratives  and 
sent  for  Rick.  The  nurses,  weary  with  the  ravings  of 
delirious  patients,  did  not  seem  to  give  any  weight  to 
the  sick  man's  words,  though  the  report  afterwards 
spread  through  the  town  that  he  was  an  old  lover  of 
Mrs.  Castellar's,  who,  coming  to  urge  his  suit  for  her 
hand  in  marriage,  was  stricken  with  fever  on  the  way. 

Rick  at  once  recognized  him,  for,  reader,  as  you 
already  know,  it  was  Alfred  Hastings.  He  briefly  ex 
plained  to  the  doctor  that  the  sick  man  was  in  reality 
the  husband  of  Dolores,  that  she  was  obliged  to  flee 
from  him  years  ago,  because  in  a  fit  of  rage  he  had 
tried  to  take  her  life  with  poison.  When  she  arrived 
at  Idlefield,  whither  she  had  fled  for  protection,  she 
was  so  changed  the  servants  did  not  recognize  her, 
and,  therefore,  for  better  security,  she  had  changed 
her  name. 

"  Can  he  live  ?"  asked  Rick,  wildly.  "  In  the  name 
of  humanity,  doctor,"  he  implored,  "  give  him  every 
attention  possible,  because,  I  cannot  deny  it,  his  death 

would  give  me "     He  paused  a  moment  to  wipe 

the  perspiration  from  his  brow  before  he  resumed. 
"It  would  give  me, "he  continued,  almost  in  a  whisper, 
"something  I  have  longed  for  these  many,  many 
years!  You  understand,  perhaps  —  let  me  have 
nothing  with  which  I  can  reproach  myself  in  after 
years !" 

"  I  understand,"  the  doctor  answered,  with  emotion, 
"  much  that  has  been  a  matter  of  wonder  with  me  be 
fore.  Do  not  fear,  I  will  watch  over  him  myself,  and 
all  that  can  be  done  for  him  I  will  do.  But  you  had 
better  go  away ;  if  he  dislikes  you  your  presence 
might  excite  him." 

"  I  will  go,"  Rick  answered,  obediently.  "  Is  it 
necessary  for  Dolores  to  come  ?" 

"  Do  not  disturb  her  to-night ;  I  will  send  for  her 
in  the  morning.  By  that  time  I  shall  be  able  to  tell 
with  greater  certainty  whether  he  will  live  or  die. 


384  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

There  is  little  hope,  but  the  fever  may  take  a  favor 
able  turn." 

In  the  morning,  quite  early,  the  doctor  went  with  a 
message  to  the  house  where  Rick  and  Dolores  were 
staying.  Rick  had  not  been  undressed,  but  Dolores, 
suspecting  nothing,  had  slept  the  whole  night  through. 
Rose  seemed  drooping,  but  in  the  other  excitement 
this  was  not  observed. 

Dolores  went  out  to  the  door  at  Rick's  call.  She 
felt  brighter  than  for  many  days  past,  and  she  met 
him  with  a  smile. 

"  What  is  it  ?"  she  asked,  the  smile  dying  away 
under  his  excited  glance. 

"  Dolores,"  he  began,  and  then  he  stopped  short. 

"  What  is  it  ?"  she  asked  again,  in  alarm. 

"  Alfred  Hastings  is  at  the  hospital,"  he  gasped. 

She  glanced  from  him  to  the  doctor  with  widely- 
opened  eyes,  but  did  not  speak  a  word. 

"  And  he  is  dying,"  added  Dr.  Ohlsen. 

"  Dying  ?"  she  repeated,  and  then  she  went  into  her 
room,  from  which  she  returned  in  a  few  minutes 
quite  ready  to  go. 

"  Doctor,"  she  said, "  I  fancy  Rose  is — is  going  to  be 
ill.  Must  she  go,  too  ?" 

"No!"  the  doctor  cried,  in  turn  alarmed.  "Mr. 
Gonzales,  take  her  quickly  or  she  may  be  too  late.  I 
will  go  and  attend  to  Rose." 

Almost  before  he  finished  speaking  he  had  rushed 
into  the  room  where  Rose  lay.  Dolores  wavered  a 
moment  between  love  and  duty.  "Must  she  leave  her 
child  whom  she  loved  so  tenderly  to  bestow  caresses 
upon  the  man  whom  she  hated — who  had  injured  her 
so — even  though  it  was  in  his  dying  hour  ?  But  it 
was  only  a  moment.  Rick  offered  his  arm  and  she 
took  it  without  a  word.  She  was  so  faint  and  weak  she 
could  scarcely  stand.  She  recoiled  from  the  meeting, 
yet,  as  once  before,  she  endeavored  to  forget  all  ex 
cept  that  she  was  to  summon  strength  to  put  one  foot 
before  the  other  in  the  direction  where  duty  lay — she 
was  to  think  of  nothing  beyond. 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  385 

They  reached  the  house  and  went  directly  to  the 
bedside  of  the  dying  man.  At  first  he  recognized 
neither.  He  seemed  to  be  breathing  his  last,  but  he 
rallied  later,  and  seeing  it  Rick  drew  back  to  be  out  of 
sight,  and  to  guard  the  door  that  no  one  might  enter. 

"Dolores!"  Alfred  cried,  faintly,  at  last,  "forgive 
me,  oh,  forgive  me,  my  wife  !" 

She  put  out  her  hand.  He  fondled  it  in  a  feeble, 
half-stupid  way,  and  then  covered  it  with  kisses. 

"  God  forgive  him  !"  she  was  sobbing  under  her 
breath.  "  Oh,  God,  forgive  him — and  me  !" 

"  I  have  made  it  all  right,"  he  whispered.  "  I  gave 
it  to  the  doctor  here — my  will.  My  mother  knows, 
and  is  glad.  I  have  left  Riverton  to  you  and  to  Rose, 
my  only  lawful  child  !" 

It  pained  her  to  hear  him  speak  thus,  and  she 
began  to  speak  to  him  of  the  life  he  was  abojit  to 
enter,  but  he  interrupted  her. 

"  I  am  not  afraid  of  anything  that  will  happen  after 
I  am  dead,"  he  said,  "  except  that  you  will  marry 
Rick.  He  loves  you.  I  saw  it  that  day  in  New 
York.  Promise  me  !"  with  a  sort  of  frenzy,  "  promise 
me,  Dolores,  that  you  will  not  marry  him  after  I  die  !" 

He  caught  her  hands  in  a  firm  clasp  and  looked 
eagerly  into  her  face. 

"No,"  she  said,  gently,  but  firmly,  knowing  Rick 
was  waiting,  too,  to  hear  her  words.  "  Alfred,  you 
have  blighted  my  past  life,  but  the  future — the  future 
is  my  own  !  At  least  you  shall  have  no  claim  upon 
that !" 

He  looked  up  like  one  suddenly  dazed  and  bereft 
of  reason.  Dolores  began  to  utter  a  prayer.  He 
listened,  and  then  his  head  sank  deeper  into  the  pil 
low.  He  tried  to  speak,  but  failed,  and  thus  passed 
away. 

Rick  came  forward,  with  something  akin  to  pity 
upon  his  face,  and  pressed  his  hands  over  the  sight 
less  eyes.  Then,  calling  an  attendant,  he  led  Dolores 
— who  had  found  relief  in  a  fit  of  quiet  weeping — 
away. 


386  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

Alfred  was  buried,  and  all  hearts  were  turned 
upon  Rose,  who,  when  the  need  for  administering  to 
others  was  almost  over,  sank  herself  under  the  fever. 
Every  moment  that  he  could  spare  from  his  other 
patients  the  doctor  spent  by  her  side.  If  he  slept  for 
an  hour  it  was  in  an  adjoining  room,  and  both  Rick 
and  Dolores  watched  her  to  report  to  him  instantly 
any  change  for  the  worse  that  might  occur.  The 
people  of  the  town  were  profuse  in  expressions  of 
sympathy,  and  Anson  Parke  was  almost  wild  ;  but  at 
last,  thanks  to  the  attention  and  good  nursing,  a 
strong  constitution,  the  lightness  of  the  attack,  or, 
perhaps,  all  of  these,  she  rallied  and  came  slowly 
back  to  health  once  more. 

The  last  case  of  fever  in  town  was  that  of  one  of 
the  men — the  ringleader  it  might  be  said — of  the  mob 
who  had  its  headquarters  at  the  chief  saloon  in  town. 
He  had  been  a  hard  drinker,  and  he  seemed  to  fear 
death  very  much,  giving  them  who  cared  for  him 
great  trouble. 

"  Will  I  die,  doctor  ?"  was  his  constant  question, 
and  the  answer,  which  at  first  was  usually  "we  hope 
not,"  came  one  day  to  be  changed  to  the  more  serious 
— "  I  fear  you  will." 

The  fright  and  agony  of  the  poor  wretch  was 
fearful,  and  he  begged  that  Rick  might  come  to  his 
bedside.  His  request  was  readily  granted,  and  he 
poured  out  his  confessions  in  Rick's  ear  concerning 
his  previous  evil  deeds. 

"  I  was  one  of  the  leaders  in  this  part  of  the  state 
in  opposition  to  your  plans,  and  have  continually 
counseled  and  worked  in  opposition  to  anything  you 
did,  because  I  knew  your  moral  strength,  and  be 
lieved  firmly  that  if  you  succeeded  there  would  be  no 
Solid  South,  and  that  is  what  we  wanted  before  the 
war  and  have  been  laboring  for  since.  I,  too,  assisted 
in  hanging  Nate  Ayre,  for  which  I  am  sorry  now.  I 
have  been  watching  you  very  closely  during  the  past 
few  weeks,  and  I  am  now  certain  that  you  are  a  phil 
anthropist,  and  just  such  a  man  as  every  community 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  387 

most  wants  if  they  would  prosper.  While  I  have 
been  slow  to  arrive  at  this  conclusion  because  of  the 
great  opposing  influences  I  found  all  around  me,  I 
believe  the  tide  has  now  turned,  and  from  this  time 
forward  the  masses  will  be  on  your  side.  I  believe, 
too,  our  people  are  more  than  willing  to  return  to 
their  allegiance  to  the  Washington  Government,  and 
if  God  spares  my  life  I  will  give  you  my  influence  in 
the  future  as  thoroughly  as  I  have  opposed  you  in 
the  past !" 

His  strength  seemed  to  give  way  at  this  point,  and 
his  words  could  scarcely  be  distinguished  one  from 
another.  Rick,  observing  that  he  was  sinking  very 
rapidly,  bowed  his  head  and  prayed  fervently,  yet 
until  the  moment  of  his  death  the  miserable  wretch 
seemed  to  find  little  relief — so  little,  indeed,  that 
Parson  Johnson,  the  old  negro  preacher  among 
the  pupils  at  Idlefield,  who  was  present,  was  in  the 
habit  of  alluding  in  his  sermons  for  months  afterward 
to  the  awful  end  of  Jack  Hardy,  and  to  warn  his  list 
eners  that  their's  would  be  like  it  if  they  failed  to  flee 
from  the  wrath  to  come. 

After  the  hospital  had  been  closed,  its  manager, 
with  his  nurses,  returned  to  Idlefield,  where  they 
found  the  cotton  crop  ready  to  be  gathered.  Rick 
was  greatly  surprised  to  find  the  season's  production 
good,  considering  the  little  attention  given  it  during 
the  two  months  previous  ;  and  he  was  equally  pleased 
when  the  returns  began  to  come  in  later,  because  the 
outlay  at  the  hospital  had  begun  to  tell  seriously  on 
his  bank  account,  but  of  this  he  never  spoke.  He 
felt  that  he  had  done  a  wise  and  good  thing  ;  and 
even  if  he  could  not  count  as  many  thousands  to  his 
credit  at  the  bank,  he  could  count  more  real  friends 
than  before,  and  that  was  full  compensation  for  the 
outlay. 

Time  passed  rapidly,  and  with  it  came  greater 
evidences  that  the  labor  of  the  past  few  years  had  not 
been  in  vain.  His  neighbors  seemed  more  social, 
and  more  and  more  willing  to  converse  with  him  as  to 


388  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

his  future  plans,  and  after  a  time  he  was  talked  of  for 
high  political  honors  in  his  district.  He  had  had  for 
years  the  good-will  of  the  Government  at  Washing 
ton,  and  could  have  had  an  official  position  long  be 
fore  if  he  had  been  willing  to  accept  it ;  but  his  mind 
had  not  run  in  that  direction,  always  believing  he 
could  accomplish  more  in  his  own  private  way  than 
by  accepting  office.  With  the  exception  of  placing 
his  colored  pupil  Ayre  in  the  post-office  at  Milton 
he  had  not  used  his  power  to  control  any  official  posi 
tion,  although  he  was  frequently  consulted  by  those 
in  authority  both  at  Washington  and  in  his  own  state. 

During  the  winter  succeeding  the  death  of  Alfred 
Hastings  two  weddings  took  place  at  Idlefield  simul 
taneously.  It  is  needless  to  say  Rick  and  Dolores 
began  a  new  life  together,  while  Dr.  Ohlsen  and  Rose 
made  a  union  that  was  to  carry  them  down  the  stream 
of  time  for  better  or  worse. 

The  doctor,  however,  did  not  take  his  bride  to  the 
little  cottage  which  had  served  the  purposes  of  an  hos 
pital  during  the  time  of  the  fever  plague.  He  built  a 
comfortable  mansion  in  one  of  the  best  localities  in 
Milton,  furnished  it  with  taste,  and  there  he  took  Rose 
after  their  marriage.  The  most  learned  men  in  the 
county  found,  in  intercourse  with  him,  that  he  had  a 
thorough  education  and  understood  himself  per 
fectly  upon  many  scientific  subjects,  and  not  only  this 
but  he  was  a  most  agreeable  companion.  His  medi 
cal  skill  was  unquestioned,  his  house  one  of  the  most 
beautifully  and  artistically  furnished  of  any  in  that 
region  of  country,  and  his  wife — well,  they  could  find 
no  words  too  good  to  use  in  praising  her. 

There  was  the  usual  amount  of  gossip  when  Rick 
and  Dolores  were  married.  People  said  he  had  long 
desired  it,  but  she  was  unyielding  until,  when  her  other 
admirer  (who  proved  to  be  the  husband  of  her  cousin 
Dolores)  sought  her  hand,  and  died  in  a  most  tragic 
manner,  she  made  the  discovery  that  her  heart  had 
long  been  given  to  Rick,  though  by  what  method  of 
reasoning  {.hey  evolvecj  such  a  result  frqrn  such  a 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  389 

cause  remains  a  mystery.  It  was  love  for  her  which 
killed  Alfred  Hastings,  they  said,  and  not  the  fever. 
And  Anson  Parke  declared,  with  his  usual  flippancy, 
that  it  ran  in  the  family  to  always  have  more  than  one 
man  dead  in  love  with  the  Castellar  ladies. 

Shortly  before  their  marriage  they  were  surprised  to 
receive  a  visit  from  Mr.  Beale  ;  but,  as  he  was  not 
given  to  keeping  secrets,  he  did  not  leave  them  long 
in  doubt  as  to  the  cause  of  his  coining. 

"I  always  said  it  was  a  shame  for  you  not  to  marry, 
Mrs.  Castellar,"  he  said.  "  I  say  so  still,  and  I've 
come  down  here  to  ask  you  to  be  my  wife,  and  for  no 
other  purpose." 

"  If  you  had  only  written  !"  she  said,  really  an 
noyed. 

"Why?"  he  asked,  in  astonishment,  as  it  had  not 
occurred  to  him  that  she  could  refuse  him. 

"  Because  Rick  and  I  are  to  be  married  very  soon  !" 
she  replied,  desperately  straightforward 

"Really,"  he  said,  seeming  greatly  disappointed. 
"  Now  if  I'd  only  known  enough  to  write  I  might 
have  been  ahead  of  Rick,  but  I  thought  you  wouldn't 
have  me  if  I  broached  the  subject  too  soon  after 
Sarah's  death.  I'm  very  sorry,  Mrs.  Castellar,  for  I 
never  knew  a  woman  like  you,  not  even  Sarah.  Any 
how,  I  meant  well,  though,  if  you  are  not  happy  with 
Rick,  I  shall  never  forgive  myself  for  not  writing." 

Mr.  Beale  remained  only  a  few  hours  after  this 
conversation  ;  but  before  he  left  he  extended  them  an 
invitation  to  visit  him  should  they  ever  come  to  New 
York  again,  which  was  done  only  to  relieve  himself 
of  his  embarrassment,  and  was  so  received. 

Rick  and  Dolores  were  compelled  to  visit  Riverton 
and  Washington  early  the  next  spring,  as  the  will  of 
the  late  Alfred  Hastings  had  not  been  proven,  and  it 
became  necessary,  before  the  estate  fell  into  wrong 
hands,  that  some  arrangement  should  be  made  in  regard 
to  it.  The  estate  consisted  of  the  homestead  of  River- 
ton  and  some  property  of  considerable  value  in  the  out 
skirts  of  Washington.  The  will  gave  it  entirely  to 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

Dolores  and  Rose  ;  but  every  one  at  Riverton,  believ 
ing  that  the  first  wife  and  child  were  dead,  thought 
it  would  go  to  his  second  wife  and  children,  in  the 
regular  course  of  inheritance.  Great  was  the  surprise, 
therefore,  when  the  officials  received  a  letter  in 
forming  them  of  this  will  and  of  the  existence  of  his 
first  wife  and  child.  During  the  interval  between  the 
death  of  Alfred  Hastings  and  the  journey  to  Riverton 
the  will  was  thoroughly  discussed  by  Dolores  and 
Rose,  the  heirs  under  it.  They  finally  concluded  the 
only  claim  they  would  make  would  be  for  the  original 
ten  thousand  dollars,  with  interest,  that  Dolores  had 
brought  to  the  estate  when  she  married  Alfred,  and  if 
that  was  paid  they  would  relinquish  everything  in 
favor  of  Alfred's  mother  and  sister. 

As  might  be  expected,  the  arrival  of  Alfred's 
supposed  dead  wife  at  Riverton,  created  an  in 
tensely  interesting  sensation ;  and  so  well  did  she 
act  her  part  under  the  trying  ordeal  that  she  car 
ried  with  her  the  good-will  and  high  regard  of  all 
with  whom  she  came  in  contact.  She  met  Mrs. 
Hastings,  senior,  and  made  her  proposition  in  a 
straightforward  manner,  and  without  any  hesitation 
it  was  accepted.  The  legal  papers  were  soon  drawn 
up  and  signed,  and  without  any  unnecessary  cere 
mony  Rick  and  Dolores  took  their  departure,  first, 
however,  visiting  the  cemetery,  where  she  read  her 
own  epitaph  on  the  elegant  monument  that  had 
been  erected  to  her  memory  years  before  ! 

The  money  received  from  Alfred's  estate,  together 
with  a  similar  sum  donated  by  Rick  and  Dr.  Ohlsen, 
was,  with  the  sanction  of  Dolores  and  Rose,  invested  by 
Rick  in  Government  bonds,  to  form  an  "  Emigration 
Fund."  Under  no  circumstances  was  the  principal 
of  this  fund  to  be  touched,  but  the  interest  was  to  be 
used  to  assist  poor  but  worthy  colored  people  to  move 
west,  where  they  could  grow  up  with  the  country  and 
become  landowners — something  they  could  never  do 
under  the  present  state  of  society  in  Mississippi.  Both 
Dolores  and  Rose  felt  that  the  money  would  give  them 


SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY.  391 

the  greatest  satisfaction  if  invested  in  this  way ;  and 
thus  the  "  Colored  Emigration  Fund  "  was  first  started, 
which  has  been  increased  from  time  to  time  by  other 
well-disposed  people  from  different  parts  of  the  coun 
try,  until  the  fund  produces  quite  a  respectable  annual 
income.  Kansas  has  received  probably  more  of  these 
emigrants  than  all  the  other  states  combined,  which  is 
•entirely  in  keeping  with  the  fitness  of  things,  since 
emigration  to  that  state  was  the  original  bone  of  con 
tention  over  which  the  North  and  South  commenced 
the  struggle  that  finally  gave  the  colored  people  the 
right  to  emigrate  when  and  where  they  chose. 

"Why  is  it  that  Southern  politicians  cannot  realize 
their  twofold  mistake  when  they  say  the  '  cause '  is 
not  lost  but  sleeps,"  said  Rick  to  one  of  his  neighbors, 
who  was  seeking  office.  "  There  can  be  no  greater 
mistake  than  believing  that  the  general  Government 
will  ever  succumb  to  your  wishes.  The  very  minute  our 
people  fully  realize  that  it  is  a  lost  cause,  then  will 
they  begin  to  receive  benefits  at  the  hands  of  the  Gov 
ernment.  The  South  must  be  repopulated,  and  with 
men,  too,  who  control  money.  Then  will  manufac 
turers,  tradespeople,  small  farmers,  and  the  many 
other  elements  come  to  us  that  are  necessary  to  make 
us  a  prosperous  and  happy  people." 

"  Mr.  Gonzales,  you  speak  as  few  men  dare  do  since 
the  fall  of  Sumter,  but  the  time  is  near  at  hand  when 
your  idea  will  prevail  all  over  this  broad,  bright,  beau 
tiful  country.  The  old  camp  fires  have  been  kept 
burning  in  the  hearts  of  our  people  by  false  pride, 
but,  thank  Heaven,  both  have  been  subdued,  and,  I 
may  say,  without  the  least  taint  of  humiliation  or  mor 
tification.  We  thought  the  cause  just  and  the  end 
justified  the  means,  but,  as  you  say,  it  is  now  a  lost 
cause  forever  ;  and  if  I  am  elected  to  Congress  I  shall 
use  my  influence  to  bring  about  a  new  era  on  this 
basis,"  said  the  would-be  Congressman. 

Rick,  cutting  him  off,  "  And  I  consent  to  vote  for 
you  only  on  condition  that  you  promise  to  assist  in 
welding  the  social,  political  and  commercial  harmony 


392  SUBDUED    SOUTHERN    NOBILITY. 

of  this  entire  country.  As  a  bright-eyed  Northern 
woman  years  ago  subdued  my  idea  of  '  Southern 
Nobility,'  I  would,  in  like  manner,  have  the  entire 
South  realize  that  there  can  be  only  one  nationality 
with  equality  before  the  law  for  all.1' 

Halbert  came  home  when  his  college  days  were 
over  and  entered  into  the  work  with  all  the  zeal  of 
youth,  according  always  due  love  and  respect  to  Dol 
ores,  who  was  the  only  mother  he  had  ever  known. 

Dolores  and  Rick  continue  on  with  their  life-work 
at  Idlefield,  happy  in  it  and  in  each  other,  their 
happiness  being  like  a  long,  bright  Indian  summer, 
with  clearer  and  fairer  days  than  their  spring  had 
ever  known.  For  Dolores,  her  summer  had  been  one 
of  scorching,  blighting  heat,  with  its  fiery  trials,  like 
burning  days  with  never  a  cooling  night  ;  and  Rick's 
had  been  stormy  and  cold,  in  which  his  flowers  of 
hope  had  been  cut  off  by  the  frosts  of  death. 


THE     END. 


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